title: Prostate cryoablation: prospective analysis comparing high- and low-risk prostate cancer outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate percutaneous cryotherapy as a primary treatment option for prostate cancer, comparing different risk groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven prostate cryoablation procedures were performed on 44 patients. Patients median age was 70.9, and average pretreatment PSA of 13.8 ng/dl. Patients were divided into low-risk (13 patients), high-risk (24 patients) and radiation failure patients (7 patients). The follow-up period ranged from 18 to 60 months (median 41 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the low-risk group, we found after 12 and 24 months of follow-up, 92 and 86% of patients free of PSA relapse (PSA <1 ng/ml), respectively. In the high-risk group, the PSA failure was 39 and 52.9%. For the radiation failure group, 86 and 71.4% of patients had PSA below 1 ng/dl. At 48 months of follow-up, 80% of the low-risk patients, 42.8% of the high-risk group and 71.4% of the radiation failure group were free of PSA relapse. The complication rates were low, with 13% of urinary incontinence and no cases of rectal injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prostate cryoablation is a viable and promising minimally invasive alternative for localized or locally advanced prostate cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Divisão de Clínica Urológica, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. hayek@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Omar R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: El Hayek
authors.forename: Wladimir
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alfer
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reggio
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos L
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pompeo
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arap
authors.forename: Antonio Marmo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lucon
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srougi