Niagara HIFU- Your Prostate Cancer Solution
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Frequently Asked Questions About Prostate Cancer The information below is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to replace sound professional medical advice and care. All treatment options and potential outcomes and complications should be discussed with a qualified healthcare provider. Prostate Cancer What is the prostate? The prostate is a small gland that is part of the male reproductive system. A normal, healthy prostate is about the size and shape of a walnut. Its position in the body is just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder and semen out through the penis) runs through the center of the prostate. The function of the prostate is to produce some of the seminal fluid that nourishes and carries sperm from the testicles and out of the penis during ejaculation. Because of its position an enlarged prostate can squeeze the urethra causing urinary problems. What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men, and is the second leading cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 230,900 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year. Before the introduction of the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test 75% of prostate cancer patients were diagnosed in the later, incurable stages, now only about 25% of newly diagnosed cases are advanced cancer. What options do I have for treating prostate cancer? There are a number of different options for how prostate cancer can be treated, each has its own risks and benefits. These options include radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation , hormone therapy, cryotherapy, brachytherapy(internal radiation seeds),and HIFU ( high intensity focused ultrasound). Patients should discuss all possible treatment options with their physician and pursue multiple professional opinions to decide which option is right. Why are regular prostate check ups important? Early prostate cancer has very few symptoms, so it can only be found through routine screening. As men get older, especially over the age of 50, it is very important to be tested and to identify any abnormalities. Not all prostate problems are cancer, but prostate cancer is the most serious problem. Some prostate cancers are small and/or slow and do not progress beyond the prostate gland. Some are more aggressive and advanced. Treatment is more successful if it is begun when the cancer is still small and has not spread beyond the prostate gland. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): What is BPH? BPH, or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate that is common in men over the age of 50. It is not cancer and is not malignant. If the prostate gets too big it can put pressure on the urethra and bladder, causing problems with urination. Can BPH be treated with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)? Absolutely. In countries where HIFU is approved outside of the US, the Sonablate® 500 is an acoustic ablation device that is used for the treatment of BPH and prostate cancer. It is a non invasive procedure that can be done usually in one hour for most BPH cases. Several studies have been published on results of using HIFU to treat BPH. You can read more by visiting the clinical data section. Learn more. HIFU & The Sonablate® 500: What is the history of HIFU and how long has it been done? Research on HIFU began in the 1950s at Indiana University. In 1994, the first human prostate cancer study was done by Dr. Marberger and Madersbacher at the Univ. of Vienna in Austria using the now Sonablate® 200, treating 29 human prostates in vivo shortly before performing a radical prostatectomy. The goal was to see if the energy delivered was enough to destroy the desired tissue. The study found that treatment could be performed safely and could be repeated. In 1995, a study done at IU showed that the whole prostate could be treated without damaging the prostate capsule or the rectal wall. In 1999, Dr. Toyaki Uchida began treating patients using the Sonablate® 200. In 2001, the Sonablate® 500 receives CE mark from Europe and the first patient in the study was treated at IU by Dr. M. Koch. In 2004, USHIFU was created and has worked with doctors to make HIFU available in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, South Africa and the Caribbean. Currently there are nearly 100 Sonablate® 500 HIFU centers worldwide on six continents. There are over 150 physicians using the Sonablate® 500 worldwide and over 6,000 total procedures have been completed with the Sonablate®. Where can I find HIFU data and statistics? To read clinical papers, abstracts and data visit our clinical data section where you can download the latest published data and reports. Learn more about the Benefits of HIFU with the Sonablate® 500. Does HIFU only treat the cancerous cells or does it ablate the entire prostate? HIFU treats the entire prostate by targeting tissue in six overlapping treatment zones. The tissue is heated rapidly in small lesions until eventually the entire prostate is ablated. If the entire prostate is treated, does that include the urethra? What happens to the urethra? Is it damaged? The urethra is derived from a different type of tissue (bladder squamous-type epithelium) rather than prostatic tissue (glandualr, fibrotic and muscular). While the urethra is an important anatomical structure, the sphincter and bladder neck are more important in maintaining urinary function. During HIFU, the sphincter and the bladder neck are identified and avoided. How do I know if I am a candidate for HIFU? What are the qualifications? If you have been diagnosed with localized prostate cancer that has not spread or metastasized outside of the gland, you may be a candidate for HIFU. It is recommended that you discuss your individual medical records and history with a HIFU certified physician in order to confirm whether or not you qualify for HIFU. May I speak with a HIFU doctor or patient about the procedure and their experience? Certainly. In fact, we encourage it. Call 289-668 4438 to arrange a consultation with a HIFU physician or if you would like to speak with someone who has already been treated with HIFU. What should I expect after I have HIFU? Because Sonblate HIFU is a non-invasive procedure it has minimal side effects. During the first one or two weeks after the procedure, a patient may experience very mild urinary symptoms such a frequency and/or urgency to void. In the first one or two months, a patient may pass an occasional small amount of blood or mucus-like materials in the urine stream which is normal. A urinary catheter is inserted during the procedure and must be kept in place for two to three weeks. How long does the procedure take? Will I have to stay in the hospital? Sonablate HIFU is an outpatient procedure and does not require an overnight stay. The procedure usually takes one to four hours and recovery time lasts two to three hours. After recovery, the patient is discharged. |
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