News Releases

New Minimally Invasive Treatment for Prostate and Kidney Cancer

Houston, Texas, January 13, 2003 -- Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital now offers patients a minimally invasive cryotreatment for freezing and destroying prostate cancer, as well as kidney cancer. Board Certified Urologist Ned Stein, M.D., F.A.C.S., led the effort to bring SeedNet™ cryotherapy to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital. The procedure is done by freezing the patient’s prostate to super-cold temperatures to kill the diseased tissue, while leaving surrounding healthy tissue intact. Most patients are expected to go home the next day with very little discomfort.

Cryosurgery is an effective option for patients who, because of age or other health issues, cannot or do not wish to undergo surgical removal of the diseased prostate gland, and those who prefer to avoid radiation. Galil Medical’s SeedNet system features ultra-thin CryoNeedles™ that generate radiation-free IceSeeds™. Since older equipment used large probes, SeedNet represents the next generation of minimally invasive technology for prostate and kidney cancer therapy. SeedNet needles generate these IceSeeds that deliver temperatures of lower than minus 40 degrees Celsius to safely freeze, ablate and eliminate the diseased tissue while avoiding damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Prostate cancer strikes more than 180,000 men in the United States per year. Thanks to growing acceptance of PSA testing (a simple blood test to determine the likelihood of prostate cancer), more men are catching the disease in its early stage and are receiving treatment. However, studies demonstrate that approximately 50,000 men per year have residual disease after receiving radiation therapy for prostate cancer. When this happens, SeedNet cryotherapy remains the best alternative for patients who experience recurrent prostate cancer after primary treatment.

“Offering this particular cryoablation method to my patients gives them a simple and effective treatment option for both newly diagnosed patients and those with recurrent disease,” says Dr. Stein. “It allows them to return to normal activities very quickly since it does not involve radical surgery. With this device, I can offer a simple procedure to patients who are faced with this life-threatening disease.”

According to Dr. Stein, many patients with kidney cancer also are excellent candidates for cryosurgery, and it is one of the best ways to preserve healthy tissue. “Minimal blood loss occurs during the SeedNet nephrectomy due to the small diameter of the CryoNeedles, making it very safe,” says Stein. Kidney cancer accounts for two percent of all new cancer cases in men. Better ultrasound imaging, improved patient care, plus increased physician awareness have led to the diagnosis of more than 30,000 new cases in the United States last year, but there were still approximately 12,000 deaths from kidney cancer last year. The cryoablation offered by SeedNet enables the surgeon to quickly and easily destroy the tumor, without removing the kidney.

“Bringing SeedNet to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital allows our patients to gain access to one of the most advanced treatments for prostate cancer. We are grateful to Dr. Stein for his role in introducing this powerful treatment modality to our region,” said Jerel Humphrey, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital.

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