Focal therapy for prostate cancer: Reliable diagnosis leads to gentle treatment

(2022-10-20) In the treatment of prostate cancer, there is often a complete surgical removal of the prostate. However, this places a heavy burden on the organism and does not always lead to the desired therapeutic success. Incontinence and impotence are typical side effects, which can be avoided in many cases if focal treatment is applied: In this case, the organ affected by cancer is not treated as a whole, but only the tumor. This concept is particularly suitable for small, easily localized tumors.

The Heidelberg Clinic for Prostate Therapy in Germany recognized the advantages of this form of treatment at an early stage and is considered a pioneer when it comes to focal therapies for prostate cancer; hardly any other clinic can point to such large patient numbers. Different procedures are used depending on the type and size of the prostate tumor:

The Sonablate 500 procedure works with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which is emitted by a probe via the rectum, focuses on the tumor, and destroys it with heat – a blood-free, very gentle procedure.

In irreversible electroporation (IRE), short pulses of voltage and current are emitted from electrodes inserted into the tumor, which also destroy the tumor.

In photodynamic therapy, photosensitizers are accumulated in the tumor cells, which are then irradiated with red laser light, causing them to die.

An important prerequisite for all three focal methods is highly precise cancer diagnostics. To this end, a special diagnostic procedure has been developed in Heidelberg that combines the possibilities of modern ultrasound technology with those of magnetic resonance imaging. This reduces the number of tissue samples (biopsies) required to an absolute minimum.

The renowned specialist clinic is headed by the urologists Dr. Thomas Dill and Dr. Martin Loehr. They have already been able to demonstrate their expertise in their treatment of over a thousand patients. “Gentle, focal therapies and precise, gentle diagnostics go hand in hand at our clinic,” say the two specialists.