The Role of Whole-Gland and Focal Cryotherapy in Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

Simple Summary: The majority of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients are eligible for active surveillance, and those at moderate to high risk frequently receive definitive treatments such as radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy. A considerable proportion of patients will experience biochemical recurrence, as well as localized and distant metastatic recurrence following definitive treatment. Salvage cryotherapy has emerged as a safe and effective alternative for treating localized recurrence. This review examines the oncologic and functional outcomes of whole-gland and focal salvage cryotherapy, as well as the crucial role of multiparametric prostate MRI and PSMA-targeted PET imaging. The outcomes of cryotherapy compared to those of other salvage ablation techniques like high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are also explored. Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous malignancy in men, with the majority of newly diagnosed patients eligible for active surveillance. Despite definitive treatment, a considerable percentage of men will experience biochemical recurrence and even regional and distant metastatic recurrence after radiation therapy or radical prostatectomy. Salvage prostatectomy, while oncologically effective, poses significant morbidity with poor functional outcomes. Salvage cryotherapy has emerged as a promising alternative for localized recurrence, demonstrating safety and efficacy. This review examines the oncologic and functional outcomes of whole-gland and focal salvage cryotherapy, including disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. The crucial role of multiparametric prostate MRI and evolving role of next-generation PSMA-targeted PET imaging are also examined. The comparison of outcomes of cryotherapy to other salvage ablation modalities, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), is also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]