Because treating the entire prostate in prostate cancer patients can lead to long-term side effects, interest is growing in minimally invasive, focal treatment options. A clinical trial published in BJU International showed promising results for one such focal therapy that directly targets the cancer while sparing the remaining healthy prostate tissue.
The ProFocal Laser Therapy for Prostate Tissue Ablation (PFLT-PC) trial is the first pivotal trial of ProFocal®, a novel, cooled-laser focal therapy device for treating prostate cancer.
In the trial of 100 participants, 84% of patients had no clinically significant prostate cancer on biopsy three months after treatment. The treatment achieved comparable results regarding cancer control to other focal therapy modalities, but with an improved safety profile and lower rates of incontinence.
“This new technology is very promising and allows for excellent cancer control while preserving patients’ quality of life,” said corresponding author Dr. Jonathan Kam from Nepean Hospital in Australia. “Traditional radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy for prostate cancer result in very high rates of incontinence and erectile dysfunction. With this new technology, patients can have their prostate cancer treated with a very low risk of the side effects of conventional prostate cancer treatments.”
URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bju.70150
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