HIFU, or Intense Focused Ultrasound, can be a noninvasive technique for management of localized prostate type of cancer. HIFU focuses ultrasound energy and soundwaves into a targeted area in the prostate causing rapid temperature increases and focal ablation from the treatment zone with great accuracy. Typically, HIFU is carried out while on an outpatient basis in one to 4 hours depending on the sized the prostate. The most important good thing about HIFU is a very low incontinence rate of lower than 2% as well as a post-treatment erection 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 cancer (i.e., no spread of cancer away from the prostate). These men could have clinical stage T1 or T2b disease (i.e., no palpable nodule or nodule confined one lobe from the prostate), Gleason score of seven or fewer (preferably not greater than Gleason Score 3+4=7), PSA amount of less than 20, plus a prostate number of 40 grams or less. Initial data to treat appropriately selected men with HIFU has shown results similar to other modalities pertaining to localized cancer control, biochemical recurrence, and disease-free survival. Additionally, reported incontinence and erection dysfunction rates after HIFU may be low at less that 2% and 20 to 30%, respectively.



Advantages of HIFU as a method of treating select men with prostate kind of cancer include a non-surgical, non-surgical technique requiring no stay in hospital. Additionally, the cancer of the prostate tissue is destroyed with no radiation exposure. HIFU is repeatable should re-treatment become necessary in the foreseeable future. Additionally, HIFU may be used to treat recurrent cancer of the prostate that was initially treated by other means, including radiation or proton therapy. Another impressive putting on HIFU to treat localized prostate cancer is in emerging successes with focal therapy of prostate cancer. Over these select cases, studies could be performed to be sure a low-volume of cancer of the prostate restricted to one lobe or a specific focal site within the prostate. The involved lobe or specific site in the patient's cancer of the prostate would then be focally treated. Candidates for focal HIFU include men with low-volume (lower than or equal to 3 cores positive for cancer, no single core with in excess of 50% positive), Gleason Score of 6 or fewer, and a PSA of below 10. These men would undergo "template" or "saturation" biopsies with greater to 24 cores evaluated. Recent studies looking at focal therapy of prostate cancer in very select men with low-volume disease are emerging and early results look promising although no long-term details are yet available. Early results in some studies show up to 90% recurrence free survival following focal therapy in closely monitored men. Incontinence rates following focal HIFU were 0 to 1% and male impotence rates lower than 5% a single study looking at results at three and six months following treatment.

HIFU is often a non-surgical treatment selection for men with low- to intermediate-risk cancer of the prostate. The true secret to its success like all options for treatment is based on appropriate candidate selection. HIFU is carried out internationally and is currently undergoing clinical trials for FDA approval in the united states. American urologists are competed in performing HIFU and use American teams internationally to be able to offer botox cosmetic injections to appropriately selected patients considering HIFU as a way of treating their prostate cancer. Of course, make sure you discuss all options using your urologist including the risks, benefits and alternatives to each prior to an educated decision regarding treatment of your prostate cancer. Maintain open and honest discussions along with your doctor when it comes to these options because the key to business energy is seeking the treatment you like plus your particular cancer the most effective.

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