IRVINE, Calif., July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Endocare, Inc. , an innovative medical device company focused on the development of minimally invasive technologies used by urologists and interventional radiologists for tissue and tumor ablation, announced today that focal cryoablation was highlighted as having "low morbidity" in the July issue of Urology Times. Focal cryoablation is a minimally-invasive method of freezing and destroying only the cancerous portion of the prostate gland while leaving the healthy tissue and the nerves intact, resulting in low overall morbidity and a high rate of sexual potency. Focal cryoablation represents an important new option for prostate cancer patients who have isolated, localized disease.
Noting the data presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) in Orlando, the July issue of Urology Times captured and summarized key take-home messages in 27 topic areas including "localized prostate cancer." The publication highlighted "low rates of morbidity" that result from focal cryoablation.
Focal cryoablation outcomes reported on at the AUA's annual meeting included the first multi-center study of focal, or partial gland, cryoablation for 341 prostate cancer patients. The study demonstrated that more than half of the patients who were potent before the treatment were again potent after six months, and more than 74 percent resumed potency within 36 months. Patients in this study are part of the Cryo On-Line Database (COLD) Registry which contains records for more than 5,000 cryoablation procedures from 48 physicians. This latest focal cryoablation study, the largest published thus far, reported similar outcomes to earlier studies, some of which have followed patients for up to 10 years with excellent long-term cancer control rates.
"Physicians and patients have struggled to find a middle ground between under-treating prostate cancer, by 'watchful waiting,' and over-treating through radical prostatectomy," said Endocare Chairman, CEO and President Craig T. Davenport. "There is a growing body of evidence that focal cryoablation may be an effective option for men who want to consider destroying localized focal cancer while at the same time preserving their quality of life."
Also at the conference this year, the AUA for the first time ever adopted an official set of clinical guidelines, or "best practices," for prostate cryoablation. These new guidelines, which included focal cryoablation, are further evidence of the growing acceptance of cryoablation within the urology physician community, Davenport noted.
About Endocare
Endocare, Inc. -- http://www.endocare.com -- is an innovative medical device company focused on the development of minimally invasive technologies for tissue and tumor ablation. Endocare has initially concentrated on developing technologies for the treatment of prostate cancer and believes that its proprietary technologies have broad applications across a number of markets, including the ablation of tumors in the kidney, lung and liver and palliative intervention (treatment of pain associated with metastases).
Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those discussed in "Risk Factors" in the Company's Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risk factors include, but are not limited to, uncertainty regarding the effects of the study described in this press release and any future studies and follow up data. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise, or update publicly, any forward-looking statements for any reason.
CONTACT: investors, Matt Clawson, matt@allencaron.com, or media, Len Hall,
len@allencaron.com, both of Allen & Caron, Inc., +1-949-474-4300, for
Endocare, Inc.; or Craig T. Davenport, CEO, or Michael R. Rodriguez, CFO,
both of Endocare, Inc., +1-949-450-5400
Web site: http://www.endocare.com/
