[Histopathological changes due to transurethural microwave thermotherapy associated with androgen deprivation therapy in patients with localized prostate cancer].

Purpose: The 2nd generation transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT), equipped with high energy microwave generator and urethral cooling device is widely accepted as an less invasive effective modality to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. For prostatic cancer, however, it is generally estimated as insufficient because of limitation in penetration of microwave into deep prostatic tissue. In this study, we examined histopathologic changes after androgen deprivation theraphy (ADT) and TUMT.

Patients And Methods: Ten patients with localized prostate cancer underwent ADT for 3 months, and then TUMT was proceeded using Urowave (Dornier MedTech GmbH). Additional 3 months after TUMT and continued ADT, TURP in radical fashion was performed in all the patients, and all the resected chips were submitted for pathological study.

Results: Significant reduction in prostate volume was noted after NHT for 3 months from 37.4 +/- 9.6 ml to 22.0 +/- 5.6 ml. The pathological study of resected chips revealed progressive fibrotic changes without viable cancer cells in 9 of 10 patients. In 1 patient, however, some remnant of carcinomatous foci were noted in a resected chip from the middle lobe of the prostate.

Conclusion: Although the number of patient is limited and longer follow-up is needed, the results in present series was interested and worth considering.