When it comes to the treatment of prostate cancer, the thought of surgery and radiotherapy can be frightening for some patients, even if these are the standard of care for the disease. On the other hand, not all men are suited for active surveillance, a form of vigilant monitoring for low-risk, slow-growing cancers. Therefore, there is growing interest in finding the middle ground - minimally invasive treatments that produce fewer side effects on urinary and sexual functions. But are focal therapies, such as High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), able to deliver on this promise and do we approach this relatively new treatment with caution?



Image Credit: Shutterstock

When it comes to the treatment of prostate cancer, the thought of surgery and radiotherapy can be frightening for some patients, even if these are the standard of care for the disease. On the other hand, not all men are suited for active surveillance, a form of vigilant monitoring for low-risk, slow-growing cancers. Therefore, there is growing interest in finding the middle ground - minimally invasive treatments that produce fewer side effects on urinary and sexual functions. But are focal therapies, such as High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), able to deliver on this promise and do we approach this relatively new treatment with caution?Image Credit: Shutterstock

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