Which Patients Can Be Treated with HIFU

Patients Who Have not Yet Received any Treatment for Cancer

HIFU treatment for localized prostate cancer is especially relevant for total or radical treatment of the entire prostate gland for patients with:

• A localized stage T1 or T2 cancer
• A Gleason score of 7 or less
• A desire to maintain maximum quality of life after treatment

It is also possible to treat more aggressive cancers (Gleason score  higher than 7) with a urologist expert of the technique.

Patients Seeking an Innovative Approach: Focal HIFU Treatment

Focal One^® is the ideal tool to treat just the diseased area inside the prostate in order to preserve maximum quality of life (limited impact on neighbouring organs reduces side effects). This therapeutic approach aims to achieve a control of the disease by closely monitoring the patient and repeating the treatment if necessary. This innovative therapeutical option is currently under investigation and the first results show a perfect preservation of sexual and urinary functions. Focal therapy is an intermediate response between active surveillance and radical treatments: cancer is effectively treated but minimally invasively, preserving quality of life of the patients and lifting the psychological stress that active surveillance can represent to the patient.

Patients who have already received HIFU treatment

All patients who have received a HIFU treatment for localized prostate cancer can receive repeat treatments in case the original treatment’s outcome justifies it. Repeated treatment option is not available with conventional options as radiotherapy or surgical treatments.

Patients Who Have Already Received Radiotherapy

When a patient has already received radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer but the cancer has recurred, range of therapeutical options is limited but HIFU treatment represents an excellent “second chance”.
HIFU treatment eligibility criteria:

• Localized (i.e. within the gland) recurrence of the cancer has been detected
• The staging assessment is clear, i.e. the cancer is still totally contained within the prostate

HIFU Prostate Cancer Treatment Contraindications:

• Anal or rectal surgery that prevents insertion of the probe
• Artificial sphincter, penile implants and intra-prostatic implants
• Allergy to latex.