Focal therapy will be the next step on prostate cancer management? | Opinion: No (original) (raw)

Which technology to select for primary focal treatment of prostate cancer?-European Section of Urotechnology (ESUT) position statement

Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases, 2018

With growing interest in focal therapy (FT) of prostate cancer (PCa) there is an increasing armamentarium of treatment modalities including high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), cryotherapy, focal laser ablation (FLA), irreversible electroporation (IRE), vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP), focal brachytherapy (FBT) and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). Currently there are no clear recommendations as to which of these technologies are appropriate for individual patient characteristics. Our intention was to review the literature for special aspects of the different technologies that might be of advantage depending on individual patient and tumour characteristics. The current literature on FT was screened for the following factors: morbidity, repeatability, tumour risk category, tumour location, tumour size and prostate volume and anatomical issues. The ESUT expert panel arrived at consensus regarding a position statement on a structured pathway for available FT ...

Focal therapy of prostate cancer: energies and procedures

Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 2013

Purpose: Over the last years, focal therapy has emerged as an intermediate management technique between radical approaches (radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation, and brachytherapy) and watchful waiting to manage some early stage prostate cancers (CaP). Different energy modalities are being developed. The aim of this study is to review these energy modalities and their indications.

Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Rationale and Treatment Opportunities

Clinical Oncology, 2013

Focal therapy is an emerging treatment modality for localised prostate cancer that aims to reduce the morbidity seen with radical therapy, while maintaining cancer control. Focal therapy treatment strategies minimise damage to non-cancerous tissue, with priority given to the sparing of key structures such as the neurovascular bundles, external sphincter, bladder neck and rectum. There are a number of ablative technologies that can deliver energy to destroy cancer cells as part of a focal therapy strategy. The most widely investigated are cryotherapy and high-intensity focussed ultrasound. Existing radical therapies, such as brachytherapy and external beam radiotherapy, also have the potential to be applied in a focal manner. The functional outcomes of focal therapy from several phase I and II trials have been encouraging, with low rates of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Robust medium-and long-term cancer control outcomes are currently lacking. Controversies in focal therapy remain, notably treatment paradigms based on the index lesion hypothesis, appropriate patient selection for focal therapy and how the efficacy of focal therapy should be assessed. This review articles discusses the current status of focal therapy, highlighting controversies and emerging strategies that can influence treatment outcomes for the future.

Focal therapy for prostate cancer 1996: Maximizing outcome

Urology, 1997

Objectives. To summarize improvements in patient selection and the results of focal therapy for the management of localized prostate cancer. Methods. A contemporary series of patients managed with wide surgical excision, radiation therapy (threedimensional conformal radiation, interstitial radiation, and charged-particle or proton therapy), and cryotherapy were reviewed. Results. We used preoperative cancer grade, transrectal ultrasound, and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in all patients, and cross-sectional imaging and bone scans in selected patients to allow for reasonably accurate cancer staging and selection of patients most likely to be cured by radical prostatectomy or radiation. In patients with extracapsular extension of prostate cancer, wide surgical excision and achievement of a clear surgical margin had therapeutic value. Newer radiation techniques resulted in a higher likelihood of prostate cancer control than previous techniques. Cryotherapy for patients with stages Tl through 3 prostate cancer was associated with a posttreatment undetectable PSA rate of 48% and a positive biopsy rate of 23%. Conclusions. Patients with organ-confined and, therefore, curable prostate cancer can be identified. Well-performed radical prostatectomy, radiation, and cryotherapy are alternative treatments for the management of localized prostate cancer.