Currently, research is being done to determine the effectiveness of cryotherapy for tumors of the brain, kidney, bone, lung, and spine. In addition, researchers are evaluating its usefulness in freezing and shrinking benign breast lumps.

In the August 2002 peer-reviewed supplement of the journal Urology results of a seven year study of 590 cryo patients found that 92% of low-risk cancer patients, 89% of moderate-risk patients, and 87% of high-risk patients were disease free. In another study presented at the 1998 World Endo-Urology Conference, 97% of patients treated with targeted cryosurgery showed no signs of cancer at one year.

The decision regarding treatment for prostate cancer is a very personal one. It is a cancer that has multiple treatment approaches with different complications and cure rates.

Targeted cryosurgery is a procedure developed by Endocare, Inc. It uses the application of extreme cold in combination with ultrasound and temperature monitoring to precisely destroy cancer cells in and around the prostate gland. When extreme cold is introduced into the prostate gland, the prostate tissue is destroyed, including cancerous cells.

Thousands of men have chosen cryo to treat prostate cancer. This therapy, first introduced in the 1960s, has seen dramatic improvements during the past eight years with the use of temperature monitoring, argon-based cryogen and ultrasound guidance techniques. The temperature monitoring and ultrasound visualization used in targeted cryotherapy allow the physician to precisely freeze the prostate gland while sparing other critical areas of surrounding tissue.

Four major treatments are widely used to combat cancer. These methods are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy (sometimes referred to as biological therapy). Surgery is the oldest method for treating cancer. It plays an important role in diagnosing and detecting the extent of cancer in the body. The newest method for treating cancer is immunotherapy, a process that relies on the body's immune system to combat the disease.

Cryotherapy is a technique used for prostate cancer treatment that involves controlled freezing of the prostate gland.*

Speak with your physician about treatment options. Although there are four standard ways to treat breast cancer (surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy), several treatments may be combined. Your physician can recommend specific treatments depending on the type and location of the cancer, the stage at which it was detected, and your age and general health.

No, it does not inevitably or eventually lead to breast cancer. Most fibrocystic conditions are completely benign. There is a very small subset of women with fibrocystic problems who are predisposed to breast cancer. This can be identified by breast biopsy or sometimes by mammography.

Surgery for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is only offered to patients whose tumor is localized and meets other criteria (please note earlier FAQ answers). Only about 15-20% of those individuals with pancreatic cancer will be found to be eligible for surgery. In these cases, surgical resection (removal) of the tumor from the pancreas (and resection of select surrounding tissues) gives the best chance for a cure and generally confers a better overall prognosis in contrast to medical therapy.

There are no universally agreed upon firm guidelines for medical treatment for those patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas who are not candidates for surgery or who have a recurrence of the cancer after surgical resection. In part, this is because there is no one great treatment option-there are a number of treatment approaches which may be more or less appropriate, given certain variables.

Any medical treatment can carry the potential for side effects in some patients. Cancer treatment is particularly powerful, because it is designed to destroy constantly dividing cancer cells. It can also affect healthy dividing cells and this can cause side effects. The challenge to researchers has been to develop treatments that destroy cancer cells but do not harm healthy cells.

Follow-up care: An important part of any treatment plan is a schedule of follow-up exams. Exams that could include urinary cytology, ImmunoCyt™/uCyt+™, and cystoscopy among others are necessary to see if cancer has come back, or if there is a new cancer.

You and your doctor will decide what is the best option for you. This will be dependent upon your test results and your biopsy. Learn more about prostate cancer treatment options

Could an age old energy therapy really make a difference in the quality of life for cancer patients? Many say that reiki therapy has helped with depression, pain, and even side effects of treatment. While reiki is not a form of cancer treatment, it does seem to have an impact on the lives of many cancer patients.

Cryotherapy has applications for a range of cancer treatments in addition to treatment for benign or non-cancerous tumors. There is a wealth of clinical data on prostate cancer and renal cancer cryo treatments. Additional studies have been done on cryosurgical treatments for liver, thoracic, and bone tumors, as well as benign breast fibroadenoma.

One or more ultra-thin, 17 gauge (1.47 mm) cryoablation needles are inserted percutaneously (through the skin) directly into the tumor, with no incision. Once inserted into the tumor, the cryoablation needles are cooled to sub-zero temperatures according to a predetermined freezing and thawing protocol. The physician sculpts a freeze zone to engulf and destroy the cancerous area, whether it is the entire prostate gland, kidney tumor or other tumors.

There are different kinds of eye cancers. Below are some of the places near or on the eye where cancers can grow and the types that may be present on each one of these places: Eyelid tumors. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of eyelid cancer. It can be removed with surgery. Other types of eyelid tumors include squamous cell carcinoma, sebaceous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Tumors that grow on the surface of the eye (conjunctival tumors).

There are many different kinds of cancer depending on where in the body the cancer starts and the type of cell involved. The most common types are prostate, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers. Out of every twenty cancer diagnoses, about three will be breast cancers, three will be prostate cancers, three will be lung cancers, and two will be colorectal. There will be about one in the bladder or kidney, one in the ovary, uterus or cervix, and one will be a lymphoma.

Choosing a treatment option involves the patient, his family, and one or more doctors. They will need to consider the grade and stage of the cancer, the man's age and health, and his values and feelings about the potential benefits and harms of each treatment option. Often it is useful to seek a second opinion, and patients may hear different opinions and recommendations. Because there are several reasonable options for most patients, the decision can be difficult.

Almost always cancer is worse than the treatment. Often people diagnosed with cancer have never experienced any symptoms or pain. It is only after the treatment starts that they begin to feel sick. Therefore, they associate feeling sick with getting treatment - not with the cancer itself. There are times when every cancer patient questions their commitment to the difficult journey of treatment and its side effects.

Yes. An important and effective use of cryotherapy is for those patients who fail or develop recurrence after radiation therapy treatment. When considering treatment options for prostate cancer, do your homework. Educate yourself on all of the different treatments. Whether you are being treated for the first time or you have experience recurrent prostate cancer, cryotherapy may be a viable option for you.

The three main treatment modalities are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Frequently, a combination of two or three treatment modalities is utilized to achieve maximum benefit for the patient. Every treatment modality has certain risks and benefits that should be considered before starting treatment. Consultation with a board certified oncologist in each specialty is highly recommended before deciding upon a particular course of therapy.

each person\'s individual medical profile and diagnosis is different, so is his/her reaction to treatment. Side effects may be severe, mild, or absent. Be sure to discuss with your cancer care team any/all possible side effects of treatment before the treatment begins. Most side effects disappear once treatment is stopped. The following are common chemotherapeutic drugs usued to treat breast cancer. Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is an intravenous medication.

This is a question to ask your doctor. Even though treatment regimens have similarities, they are often tailored to the individual patient. Therefore, it is important you speak frankly with your doctor. Undergoing chemotherapy can be a scary experience, especially if you have heard that another treatment is better. However, your doctor made her recommendation based on your specific cancer and your general health and she has your best interest in mind.

Surgery is one option, but you may also choose to do nothing or wear a pessary. A pessary, similar to a diaphragm, can be used satisfactorily for years and comes in many different shapes and sizes to accommodate individual conditions and requirements.

If a tumor can be removed, surgery will be done. Figure 4 shows the extent of typical surgeries used to remove liver tumors. Up to 75% of the liver can be removed, since it does grow back if no cirrhosis or hepatitis is present (regeneration). The liver and peripheral nerves are the only tissues of the body capable of regeneration. In some patients, a combination of resection and radiofrequency ablation will be used.

The actual treatment you receive varies considerably from trial to trial. In general, however, you can expect: You will receive an evaluation at the beginning of the trial to determine your health status at the time. You can expect to be monitored carefully during the trial, and you may be contacted for follow-up after the trial has ended.