FOCAL THERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER MATCHES SURGERY EFFECTIVENESS WITH FEWER...

A less invasive treatment for prostate cancer produces outcomes equivalent to surgery or radiotherapy whilst carrying a lower risk of complications, according to a 10-year study led by Imperial College London. The therapy, known as focal therapy, uses high-intensity ultrasound or cryotherapy to destroy cancerous tissue. Researchers followed nearly 3,500 men who received the treatment, with only two deaths from the disease recorded across the decade. The findings suggest focal therapy produces comparable cancer control to conventional approaches but with less than half the risk of side effects including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

The research addresses a gap in long-term data that medical regulators previously identified as missing. Focal therapy was introduced more than two decades ago but remains available to a limited number of patients; according to the study, approximately 1,000 men annually receive it in the UK, despite up to 15,000 potentially benefiting from the approach. The therapy is unsuitable for patients whose cancer affects multiple areas of the prostate or has spread beyond the gland. Imperial College London researchers described the results as "excellent" and stated the evidence supports expansion of the treatment's availability across more centres.

Professor Hashim Ahmed, a consultant urologist at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, stated the findings present "a compelling case for more centres to offer this treatment". The study enrolled men with intermediate or high-risk prostate cancer, broadening the evidence base for the therapy's use across a wider patient range. Researchers expect the results to increase pressure for focal therapy to become more widely accessible within the NHS.