Targeted prostate cancer treatment cuts risk of side effects, study suggests

Targeted prostate cancer treatment cuts risk of side effects, study suggestsImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Only about 1,000 men a year in the UK receive focal therapy treatment currentlyByFergus WalshMedical editorPublished2 minutes agoA less invasive therapy for prostate cancer is just as effective as surgery or radiotherapy but with a lower risk of side effects, a major study suggests.The treatment, named focal therapy, uses high-intensity ultrasound or freezing cryotherapy to destroy cancerous tissue.A 10-year NHS study led by Imperial College London followed nearly 3,500 men who received the therapy, providing long-term data that medical regulators had previously said was missing.Researchers say the results are "excellent" and they are likely to add to pressure for focal therapy to be made more widely available.Research could 'change conversations'Nearly all the men had intermediate or high-risk prostate cancer - but 10 years after treatment only two had died from the disease.These outcomes are as good as surgery or radiotherapy, but with less than half the risk of side effects such as urine leakage or loss of sexual function.Joint senior author Professor Hashim Ahmed, consultant urologist at Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said the findings demonstrated that "focal therapy delivers excellent long-term cancer control across a broad range of patients"."It makes a compelling case for more centres to offer this treatment," he added.Focal therapy was introduced more than 20 years ago but at present only about 1,000 men a year in the UK receive it - despite there being up to 15,000 who could benefit.The therapy is not suitable for men whose cancer is in multiple parts of their prostate or has spread beyond the gland.Image caption, Rob Huxford had focal therapy in 2020 and has had no long-term side effectsRob Huxford was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020 when he was 44. He says h...