Cryosurgery in prostatic cancer: survival.

From 1969 through 1976 we performed cryosurgery in 229 cases of prostatic cancer. This article presents survival in cryosurgery and other treatment groups. In every stage, despite a preponderance of large primary tumors and poor-risk patients, cryosurgery matched total prostatectomy and compared favorably to other modalities, including radiation therapy, at our center and elsewhere. According to previous authors, and in view of the present data, eradication of the local lesion is associated with better survival even in advanced cases. Cryosurgery provides a safe, effective method.