Hifu

Exactly What Is HIFU and Who Is a Good Candidate With Prostate Type Of Cancer?

HIFU, or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, can be a minimally invasive technique for treating localized prostate cancer. HIFU focuses ultrasound energy and soundwaves to some targeted area within the prostate leading to rapid temperature increases and focal ablation with the treatment zone with great accuracy. Typically, HIFU is carried out while on an outpatient basis in a single to four hours depending on the sized the prostate. The largest benefit of HIFU is certainly a low incontinence rate of less than 2% and a post-treatment erectile dysfunction rate of 20 to 30%. The main element to success with HIFU, however, is proper patient selection. Candidates include men with low- to intermediate-risk localized prostate kind of cancer (i.e., no spread of cancer away from the prostate). These men would've clinical stage T1 or T2b disease (i.e., no palpable nodule or nodule confined one lobe with the prostate), Gleason score of seven or fewer (preferably not greater than Gleason Score 3+4=7), PSA level of lower than 20, plus a prostate number of 40 grams or less. Initial data for treatment of appropriately selected men with HIFU has demonstrated results just like other modalities with regard to localized cancer control, biochemical recurrence, and disease-free survival. Additionally, reported incontinence and erection dysfunction rates after HIFU are quite low at less that 2% and 20 to 30%, respectively.

Attributes of HIFU as a technique of treating select men with prostate cancer will include a non-surgical, noninvasive technique requiring no a hospital stay. Additionally, the prostate type of cancer tissue is destroyed without any radiation exposure. HIFU is repeatable should re-treatment become necessary down the road. Additionally, HIFU enable you to treat recurrent cancer of the prostate which was initially treated by other means, including radiation or proton therapy. Another impressive application of HIFU to treat localized prostate kind of cancer is based on emerging successes with focal therapy of prostate type of cancer. Over these select cases, studies can be performed to make sure a low-volume of prostate type of cancer limited by one lobe or a specific focal site inside the prostate. The involved lobe or perhaps the specific site of the patient's prostate cancer would then be focally treated. Candidates for focal HIFU include men with low-volume (lower than or add up to 3 cores positive for cancer, no single core with more than 50% positive), Gleason Score of 6 or fewer, as well as a PSA of less than 10. These men would undergo "template" or "saturation" biopsies with greater to 24 cores evaluated. Recent surveys taking a look at focal therapy of cancer of the prostate in very select men with low-volume disease are emerging and early results look promising although no long-term details are yet available. Early ends in some research shows as much as 90% recurrence free survival following focal therapy in closely monitored men. Incontinence rates following focal HIFU were 0 to 1% and male impotence rates under 5% in a single study looking at results at three and six months following treatment.
HIFU can be a non-invasive treatment choice for men with low- to intermediate-risk prostate type of cancer. The key for the success as with every options for treatment depends on appropriate candidate selection. HIFU is completed internationally which is currently undergoing clinical studies for FDA approval in the usa. American urologists are competent in performing HIFU and help American teams internationally so that you can offer laser hair removal to appropriately selected patients thinking about HIFU as a method of treating their prostate cancer. Keep in mind, be sure you discuss all options along with your urologist such as the risks, benefits and alternatives to each before making the best decision regarding treatment of your prostate kind of cancer. Maintain open and honest discussions together with your doctor when thinking about these options because the critical for business energy is seeking the treatment that best suits you plus your particular cancer the top.
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