Unfortunately, both these procedures suffer rather high failure and complication rates. There may not be a need for these invasive treatments for every prostate cancer. For some, these options may be an over treatment, needlessly exposing the patient to potential complications. In certain groups of patients, less invasive treatments, such as cryotherapy or brachytherapy, may prove adequate. Short-term clinical data indicate a fairly high rate of success, with significantly low complication rates, compared to the traditional treatments.
Most patients maintain quality of life and also the cost of the treatment is significantly lower.
It cannot be over stressed that the single most important factor in choosing an appropriate treatment is having the correct initial staging of the tumor. As with cryotherapy, the brachytherapy procedure is highly operator-dependent. The equipment used is also important. It is prudent for every patient to investigate all of the treatment options thoroughly before making the treatment decision. Since the tumors are usually slow growing, the patient has time to educate himself and to investigate the treatment options.