Radiofrequency Transurethral Hyperthermia and Complete Androgen Blockade: A Nonsurgical Approach to Treating Prostate Cancer

Abstract

rostate cancer (PC) is a major health problem in the Western world being the second most common male malignancy in the European Union. The age-standardized incidence of PC var ies more than one hundredfold between areas with the highest incidence (e.g., the United States) and the lowest incidence (e.g., Japan) in the world. In certain parts of the world, in particular the Western countries, the incidence of this disease has increased rapidly over the past 20 years. There are several environmental and genetic factors that partially explain these variations, although the incidence probably depends most of all on the extent to which small latent tumors are detected. Being that the clinical significance of small tumors is uncertain, the value of early diagnosis and early aggressive treatment is controversial. More than half of patients with diagnosed PC do not have metastatic disease. This may be the result of better and earlier screening processes.' Common treatment of PC with local manifestations