New treatment for prostate cancer introduced

A revolutionary new treatment for prostate cancer, using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), is now available at the London Prostate Centre, part of The Princess Grace Hospital in central London. 

 

Prostate cancers can be treated in many ways - HIFU is the latest in a range of possible treatments -and urologists at The London Prostate Centre tailor the treatment programme to take account of their patients' needs and individual choice.  The private Princess Grace Hospital is the first in the UK to make available treatment using the Sonablate 500T HIFU equipment, which has been proven in international trials to be as effective as conventional surgery and radiotherapy, yet with less risk of erectile dysfunction and loss of bladder control.

HIFU treatment is pain-free and non-invasive - there are no cuts.  The procedure can be completed under an epidural regional anaesthetic in around three hours, but patients can opt for a general anaesthetic with the agreement of their consultant.  There is no need for an overnight hospital stay or a blood transfusion, making the HIFU option extremely attractive for those unwilling to go through the discomfort, convalescence time and side effects associated with more traditional surgical methods.

 

This treatment uses sound waves generated from a probe inserted into the rectum, which are focused on to an area roughly the size of a grain of rice.  The probe scans the prostate and displays a three-dimensional image of the gland on a computer screen.  Surgeons can then draw on the screen to indicate to the computer which areas to destroy and which to avoid.