High Intensity Focused Ultrasound ablation Treatment for Prostate Cancer Patients

#ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth is an important time to help people learn about the disease and help support those who are affected. For men, prostate cancer is the most common cancer other than skin cancer.

In this Q&A, we spoke with urologic surgeon Dr. Alexander Cole about a treatment called High Intensity Focused Ultrasound ablation (HIFU) for prostate cancer patients.

Q: How prevalent is prostate cancer?

A: About 1-in-8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.

?Q: What is HIFU treatment?

?A: It is a non-invasive treatment used for certain types of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. An ultrasound is used to heat an area of the prostate and kill any cancer cells located in this area.?

?Q: How long has Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center been using HIFU??

?A: We have been performing HIFU for several years as part of a research trial, and we started offering this to men as part of routine prostate cancer care in Fall 2021. We use a robotic-assisted HIFU platform, and we are the first hospital to use this technology in New England.

Q: How were you able to bring this type of treatment to Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center?

A: HIFU is an image-guided treatment, so it depends on having a good, quality prostate MRI followed (usually) by a targeted biopsy. Pathologists need to confirm the type of cancer and then treatment decisions are made as part of a larger team. A successful HIFU program isn’t just a question of buying a machine and starting to do treatments. It’s about having a team approach to prostate cancer with input from radiologists, pathologists, urologists, and the whole cancer treatment team — something we have here at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. It isn’t the right treatment for every man with prostate cancer, but it is something I’m glad to be able to offer as part of a full menu of prostate cancer choices.

Q: What kind of patient would be a good candidate for HIFU??

A: The treatment is suitable for men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer who have relatively small tumors. You should speak with your doctor about whether this is the right option for you.??

Q: How long does the procedure take?

?A: The procedure usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours and is done as a day surgery.

Q: What are the main benefits of HIFU treatment over other types of treatment?

?A: Prostate cancer treatment is very individualized. Men with higher-risk cancers require more aggressive treatments such as prostate removal, which is oftentimes followed by radiation and hormone therapy. On the other side of the spectrum, low-risk prostate cancers are often managed with surveillance that allows men to avoid the risks of surgery. Focal therapies like HIFU allow us to treat only one area of the prostate, and we can therefore avoid many of the side effects that come with treating the whole prostate (such as loss of erections and urinary symptoms). Just like any cancer treatment decision, it is important to have a discussion with your doctor about the pros and cons of each treatment.

To learn more about screenings, diagnosis, and treatment options for prostate cancer, click here: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/surgery/urology/prostate-cancer

Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, New England’s leading cancer center, brings together specialists in medical oncology, surgical oncology and radiation oncology from both Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, to offer patients treatments and expertise sometimes not available anywhere else. Learn more.