Focused ultrasound excels for prostate cancer therapy

March 4, 2008 Focused ultrasound excels for prostate cancer therapy H. A. Abella ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Technique may offer alternative to radiotherapy without increasing the risk of serious side effects High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation has long been proposed for the treatment of solid tumors in several organ systems. Advocates say it offers a credible nonsurgical treatment alternative to radiotherapy. Now, HIFU’s value has been established for treating prostate cancer, with positive outcomes lingering for at least five years. Urologist Dr. Andreas Blana and colleagues at the University of Regensburg’s St. Josef Hospital in Germany evaluated 140 patients (mean age 69.1) with early or intermediate localized prostate cancer. They were treated with HIFU at any of several participating European hospitals between 1997 and 2001. During a mean follow-up of 6.4 years, either an increase in prostate-specific antigen levels or positive biopsy sampling was considered as evidence of treatment failure.

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