TFTC team contribute to landmark study showing oncological outcomes from focal therapy comparable to radical prostatectomy, Read Evidence,in the media and Recent Blog Post.

What is HIFU Focal Therapy For Prostate Cancer?

“Where appropriate Focal Therapy provides effective cancer control with minimal impact upon sexual potency or urinary continence.”
Mr Mark Laniado Consultant and Prostate Cancer Lead, Wexham Park Hospital, Berkshire

Focal Therapy Treats Cancer Without Removing the Prostate

The goal of focal therapy is to treat only the area with the aggressive tumour, while leaving the rest of the prostate and its surrounding structures alone. This approach is widely accepted in other types of cancer treatment. For instance, we commonly treat kidney cancers by removing or ablating only the tumour while leaving the rest of the kidney intact.

Over the last ten years, focal therapy for the prostate has caught up, mainly due to the development of precision imaging of the prostate with MRI so that clinicians can see the precise location, size and grade of cancerous lesions.

The prostate tumour that is targeted is referred to as the index lesion. In prostates with more than one tumour, this is generally the largest tumour with the highest grade. In these cases, it is believed that the index lesion drives the behaviour of the prostate cancer and that treating it alone with focal therapy can lead to good overall cancer control with significantly fewer side effects.

“In Focal Therapy the aim is to get rid of the cancer that is causing concern whilst ensuring that the patient does not become incontinent and has a much lower chance of losing erectile function.”
Mr Tim Dudderidge, Urological Consultant at University Hospital, Southampton, Berkshire

Minimal Risk To Urinary or Sexual Function

The typical treatment approaches to prostate cancer involve either surgical removal of the entire prostate (Radical Prostatectomy) or administration of radiation therapy to the whole prostate.

These approaches can be associated with side effects such as erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence. By targeting treatments to the tumour and avoiding structures that surround the prostate, such as the nerves that control erections or the urinary sphincters, providers seek to limit the side effect profile of prostate cancer treatment in properly selected patients.

“We now have good scientific evidence that focal therapy does very little harm in terms of erectile function or urinary leakage whilst providing good oncological control.”
Mr Raj Nigam, Consultant Urological Surgeon

Focal therapy relies on the use of energy sources to generate extreme temperatures that lead to tumour destruction. Available options include Cryoablation, Focal Laser Ablation and High-Frequency Ultrasound Ablation.

The UK is the world’s centre for the research, development and practice of focal therapy, and many of the clinical pioneers are based here.

“HIFU is something people need to be aware of – I believe this treatment should be more widely available and more widely promoted. It wasn’t something suggested to me as a possibility by my urologist and I actually raised it myself. I would recommend HIFU and in fact have recommended it to others.”

Keith (The Focal Therapy Clinic Patient)

Get In Touch

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.

Testimonials

Following my conversation with Brian I had a consultation with Mr Dudderidge at Spire clinic who recommended me to have radical robotic surgery, following CT scans. This has been successful so far. My decision was made following the expert advice of Mr Dudderidge and I am very pleased with all of the information and expertise in my treatment both from Brian and Mr Dudderidge.

Andrew - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

I hadn’t wanted to have either several weeks of radiotherapy or to have my prostate out – my wife and I wanted to be able to continue to enjoy our life together as normal, and focal therapy was the best way for that.

Jim - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

My initial phone conversation was good and very clear about the possibilities and I felt happy about the idea of HIFU.

Viv - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

If it hadn’t been for you I wouldn’t have found Mr Dudderidge so I can’t thank you enough.

Vernon - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

My treatment, and pre and post info, was great. I had opportunity to have HIFU and Tim was very positive in difficult times being the start of the pandemic. The result is so far very encouraging and I would recommend HIFU to anyone assuming they are in the right profile; indeed I have since to several friends.

Richard - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

I found is I was reading something that says, you know, are you happy on active surveillance? Within two hours, I had filled in the online questionnaire. And it wasn't so very long before I got a call back from Brian.

Perry - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

HIFU is something people need to be aware of – I believe this treatment should be more widely available and more widely promoted. It wasn’t something suggested to me as a possibility by my urologist and I actually raised it myself. I would recommend HIFU and in fact have recommended it to others.

Keith - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

I found Brian's information and advice to be excellent. I felt he was the kind of person I could call any time and that he helped me through the process.

Paul - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

I was so grateful that there was an alternative for me. You know for sure with hormone therapy/radiotherapy/full prostatectomy that you are not going to be back to normal. It gave me hope, and everything was realised that I wanted to be realised.

Jim - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

When I contacted FTC, Brian went through everything that can happen – it was good to speak to someone knowledgeable and empathetic. Talking to him opened my mind about what options there were.

Prostate Cancer Patient

The side effects were nothing major and have now cleared up, and the pain went away within a couple weeks – it was better than having your teeth out! When I was doing my research about treatment options after my diagnosis there was a lot of bad press and negativity: then I found HIFU and it was so reassuring to know that there was something out there that was less scary.

David - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

Just a short note Brian to thank you for your advice which is very much appreciated.

Keith - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

I had felt concerned about undergoing hormone or radio therapy which is what he had been offered, and this concern was affirmed by my conversation with Brian, who recognised it was 'a hell of a thing to do'. I decided that HIFU sounded by far the best option.

Denis - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

My conversation was very useful. At the time I hadn't been aware it was possible to get HIFU on the NHS, I understood it was only normal if you partook in a trial. I had a consultation with Mr Nigam where I learned he could have it done on the NHS.

David - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic

I was treated very professionally by the staff at The Focal Therapy Clinic and compared to the options I was offered here in Ireland it completely saved my quality of life. For that thank you.

Tom - Patient of The Focal Therapy Clinic