PUTTING THE FREEZE ON PROSTATE CANCER Sturdy Memorial Offers Cryotherapy ATTLEBORO, MA, September 6, 2011—September has been designated Prostate Cancer Awareness Month to direct attention to the most common cancer in men, for which approximately one in six men will be diagnosed during his lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). As with all cancers, prostate cancer prognosis is better the earlier it is diagnosed. Treatments, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy, are chosen depending on prognosis, age, and consideration of treatment risks and possible side effects. Cryotherapy—also called crysurgery, cryoablation, or simply cryo—is an advanced, minimally invasive procedure that uses extremely cold temperatures to destroy cancerous tissue. Dr. Raymond Paul-Blanc, a board certified urologist on staff at Sturdy Memorial Hospital, performs cryotherapy for prostate cancer patients as a treatment for selected patients with localized cancer. What Is Cryotherapy? Prostate cancer cyotherapy, a treatment option for patients with early stage and organ-confined prostate cancer, is a minimally invasive alternative to surgical removal of the prostate gland (prostatectomy) and is an option if other treatments failed or if the cancer recurred after treatment. “To perform cryotherapy,” says Dr.