First clinical experiences on neodymium-YAG laser irradiation of localized prostatic cancer.

This first clinical report on Neodymium-YAG laser irradiation of localized prostatic cancer presents our experiences in 63 patients during 4 years. Transurethral resection extending to the capsule and subsequent laser irradiation according to our standardized treatment procedure give few complications and good functional results. Actuarial disease-free survival is 98% on one year and 80% in the 2-4 year period. The results are promising and comparable to short-term results obtained by radiotherapy and/or interstitial radioactive implants. Further experience is necessary for a definitive comparison to established treatment modalities.