title: Percutaneous transperineal cryosurgical ablation of the prostate for the primary treatment of clinical stage C adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess short-term response rate and local tissue destructive capabilities of cryosurgical ablation of the prostate (CSAP) in patients with clinical Stage C adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of 62 patients (mean age, 66 years; range, 49 to 79 years) treated on an institutional review board approved protocol at Allegheny General Hospital between June 1990 and December 1993 was performed. Standard follow-up examination included serial prostate-specific antigens (PSAs), digital rectal examination, and extensive biopsies at 3 months after CSAP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average hospital stay was 2 days and morbidity was minimal. Biopsy findings showed no residual detectable prostatic tumor in 79% of patients 3 months after 1 CSAP treatment and in 94.8% 3 months after 1 or 2 treatments. Mean/median 3-month postoperative PSAs for patients with negative biopsy findings were 0.59 +/- 1.66 and 0.10 ng/mL, respectively, compared with 14.0 +/- 12.1 and 8.90 ng/mL preoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSAP appears to produce controllable, reproducible local tissue destructive effects. Long-term (more than 5 years) crude and disease-free survival rates are not known for CSAP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery/Division of Urology, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Merlotti
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010502:Perineum; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies