Although the HIFU results are similar to this in the short term, we do not know whether the HIFU cure rates will stay at this level for 10 to 15 years.
HIFU is a day case, minimally-invasive treatment which does not involve cuts or needles and therefore carries less risk of side-effects when compared with the conventional therapies already available. It also has a short recovery time.
Unlike other therapies, HIFU treatment can usually be repeated, either in patients without a complete response after the first treatment or for the management of local recurrences (cancer that comes back). Overall one in twenty men need to have surgery or radiotherapy after their HIFU treatment within three to five years. We do not know what these rates are in the long term. The risk of complications increases by a small amount with multiple treatments.
Treatment with HIFU, does not usually exclude further treatment with external beam radiotherapy or surgery (Blana et al 2004)
As a group of consultants we are passionate about all prostate cancer sufferers knowing about all of their treatment options.
Based upon the details that you know and can provide to us, we will send you a Plain English personalised preliminary suitability report for HIFU Focal Therapy treatment of your prostate cancer.
You can use the information we provide in your conversations with your existing NHS and/or private treatment consultant. Should you wish to talk with us further we would be grateful to help you, but there is absolutely no obligation for you to do so whatsoever.