Focal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound with intraoperative prostate compression promising for patients with localized prostate cancer: Study

The participants were categorized by the D’Amico risk classification into 3 groups: low-risk (n=51), intermediate-risk (n=107), and high-risk (n=82). The patients were followed for a median of 48 months, with follow-up periods ranging from 24 to 84 months. The study reported the following outcomes:

• Low-risk group: 93.7% biochemical disease-free survival and 92.2% pathological disease-free survival.
• Intermediate-risk group: 88.5% biochemical disease-free survival and 91.6% pathological disease-free survival.
• High-risk group: 84.8% biochemical disease-free survival and 86.6% pathological disease-free survival.

Urinary and sexual function were temporarily affected post-treatment, with noticeable deterioration at one month. However, both functions returned to pre-treatment levels within 3 to 6 months, underlining the ability of this treatment to minimize long-term side effects.

The findings suggest that focal HIFU therapy with intraoperative prostate compression is an effective treatment for localized prostate cancer by offering strong medium-term oncological control with minimal functional deterioration. These results are particularly promising for patients seeking alternatives to radical treatments, which often involve more significant risks of long-term complications. Overall, the study highlighted the potential of HIFU as a targeted and patient-friendly therapy for localized prostate cancer. With continued research and longer-term follow-ups, this approach could help redefine the treatment protocols for patients at varying risk levels.

Source:

Shoji, S., Naruse, J., Ohno, S., Aoki, M., Takahashi, K., Yuzuriha, S., Kuroda, S., Umemoto, T., Nakajima, N., Hasegawa, M., Kawamura, Y., Kajiwara, H., Hashida, K., Uemura, K., Hasebe, T., & Tajiri, T. (2024). Focal therapy using high-intensity focused ultrasound with intraoperative prostate compression for patients with localized prostate cancer: a multi-center prospective study with 7 year experience. In Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41391-024-00921-0