High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Therapy (HIFU) Fights Prostate Cancer

Have you been diagnosed with prostate cancer? Don’t panic! It’s a highly treatable cancer that often responds well to high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy (HIFU). The expert urologists at Kasraeian Urology perform HIFU that fights prostate cancer and may help you avoid more invasive surgery. Here’s how HIFU works.

What is the prostate?

If you’re a male, you have a walnut-sized gland between your penis and bladder called the prostate. The urethra, which funnels your urine from the bladder to the penis, travels through the center of your prostate.

The prostate’s main purpose is to create a fluid that protects and feeds your sperm during ejaculation.

During the aging process, the prostate changes, like every other organ in your body. One of the most concerning changes is the development of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men nationwide. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be almost 175,000 new prostate cancer cases in 2019 and nearly 32,000 deaths from the disease.

Common treatments for prostate cancer include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, HIFU is producing good outcomes without the side effects and collateral damage of radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy.

What is HIFU?

HIFU is a minimally invasive, FDA-approved procedure that treats prostate cancer with fewer side effects than more traditional therapies.

HIFU uses ultrasound energy to burn and destroy targeted, cancerous tissue.

During treatment, the expert urologists at Kasraeian Urology will insert an ultrasound probe into your rectum and guide it remotely, watching its progress on a monitor. The probe zaps prostate cancer cells through the rectum wall.

The outpatient procedure is done under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel any discomfort from the probe or the soundwaves. The treatment takes about four hours, and you’ll need someone to drive you home afterwards.

What are the benefits of HIFU?

Here are some benefits of HIFU therapy for prostate cancer patients. HIFU is:

• Same-day, outpatient procedure, so you won’t have a lengthy hospital stay
• Noninvasive
• No or minimal blood loss
• Radiation-free
• Limited side effects
• Targeted, individualized treatment

Who is eligible for HIFU treatment?

HIFU treatment is for men with prostate cancer that hasn’t spread beyond the gland. It may also be recommended for men who have had radiation therapy that didn’t do the job, or for patients whose prostate cancer was treated then returned.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you can discuss your options with Drs. Ahmad or Ali Kasraeian by calling one of the Kasraeian Urology offices.