Endocare Inc, a developer of innovative diagnostic and treatment tools for cancer and other diseases, announced that the new nerve-sparing cryosurgery technique "appears to preserve potency in most patients without compromising cancer control." The cryosurgery data from a study showed that 92 per cent cancer free rates combined with equivalent potency rates have positioned it as an attractive alternative to brachytherapy. The new nerve-sparing techniques being reported would give cryosurgery a 25 per cent better potency preservation rate than brachytherapy.

Follow-up testing of, on average, three years showed 78 per cent of the initial series of patients treated with the nerve-sparing technique maintained their potency after the procedure. The Company said that since the initial report, over 50 patients have been treated. The number of new sites offering nerve sparing cryosurgery are rapidly expanding to meet patient demand and results from the expanded series of patients being treated are expected to be announced this fall.

Since the initial report of the pilot study led by Gary M. Onik, interventional radiologist and director of surgical imaging at the Center for Surgical Advancement, Celebration Health, Florida Hospital in Celebration, FL, the scope of indications for nerve-sparing treatment have expanded. The initial treatment developed by Dr. Onik was targeted for patients who primarily chose watchful waiting as an option following their diagnosis with prostate cancer. The approach called for focal treatment of the cancer, with virtually no side effects to the surrounding areas.

A second approach has broadened the application of nerve sparing treatments by treating the whole prostate but protecting the nerve bundles to preserve potency. This expanded indication would allow nerve-sparing cryosurgery to be used for virtually all patients currently choosing internal radioactive therapy (brachytherapy) as a treatment option.

Endocare Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Paul Mikus said, "Early results from nerve-sparing studies have shown greater than 75 per cent potency rates post procedure and have led to a great deal of interest from urologists who currently refer many low-risk patients to brachytherapy. We have recently reported results that show cryosurgery has superior disease free rates with equal potency rates compared to brachytherapy. The objective of nerve sparing cryosurgery is to deliver a procedure that the majority of Urologists can perform, in a cost effective manner that produces superior potency results. promising nerve-sparing study results, I sincerely believe that improving the sexual function after cryosurgery is a certainty."