There are four DEFINITIVE TREATMENT options for localized prostate cancer, HIFU,cryoablation,various radiation therapies and various surgical options.
Unfortunately,many urologists and cancer support groups have little or no experience with all four definitive treatment groups so men are usually counseled with one, or possibly two options that their physician is familiar with.
In the appropriately selected man with localized prostate cancer,all four treatment groups have SIMILAR SURVIVAL BENEFITS.
If the survival benefits for localized prostate cancer with these four treatment groups are similar,what other factors can we examine in order to separate these four definitive therapy groups and make a more informed choice for treatment?
I recommend that the patient and his spouse examine the various complications associated with each of the four definitive treatment options for localized prostate cancer and determine how these different complications will impact their quality of life (QOL). The incidence of these complications is profoundly different between the four different treatment groups.
Because prostate cancer is one of the few diseases where the treatment complications affect not only the man but directly impact also the spouse and their partnership,both man and wife should spend considerable time and effort in reviewing QOL issues associated with the treatment option they have chosen or has been proposed for them.
Surgical options, (including robotic removal) have the highest incidence of complications as well as the biggest negative impact on QOL for both the man and his partner. Since the survival benefits between the four treatment groups for localized prostate cancer are similar whether the prostate has been surgically removed or not and the three definitive non surgical treatment groups have less complications and a better QOL,we encourage men to consider these definitive non surgical options of HIFU,cryo or radiation.
Of these three treatment groups HIFU is most precise and appears uniquely positioned to afford cure and with a superior QOL as well as being non radiation and accomplished in one outpatient treatment.
HIFU as you are aware by now from my site, is an alternative to traditional prostate cancer treatments. Over the past several years HIFU has gained popularity across the seas in countries like China and the UK. Its already approved in other countries which makes HIFU a safe alternative over there. However in the US, HIFU treatments are moving a bit slower.
