FDA rejects TOOKAD focal treatment fo... - Prostate Cancer N...

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FDA rejects TOOKAD focal treatment for low-risk prostate cancer

Tall_Allen profile image
8 Replies

I updated this article to reflect the rejection this week of a kind of photodynamic therapy for low-risk prostate cancer. It was a good call, IMO.

pcnrv.blogspot.com/2017/01/...

Those interested in any focal ablative therapy (e.g., HIFU, cryo, FLA, etc.) should read this first:

pcnrv.blogspot.com/2016/12/...

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Tall_Allen
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8 Replies
Ahk1 profile image
Ahk1

Thanks TA for the post. I think it makes sense.

Gemlin_ profile image
Gemlin_

Must have been expected. Is there any focal therapy recommended for clinical practice in US? Not so in Europe.

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen in reply to Gemlin_

The FDA would not approve HIFU for the treatment of prostate cancer. The HIFU manufacturers said, "if you won't approve our machines for the treatment of prostate cancer, will you at least approve it for the removal of prostate tissue?" So once the FDA approved it for that purpose, they couldn't stop urologists from using it in men who had prostate cancer. Insurance won't cover it, however. So Uros charge patients about $20,000 out-of-pocket per treatment, and it usually involves multiple treatments.

Cryo sometimes gets covered because there is a registry.

in reply to Tall_Allen

Cigna now covers HIFU.

Philip_Craig profile image
Philip_Craig

Thanks for posting. I was one of the 50 at MSK that had this twice, both times they did not get it all.

Adf2529 profile image
Adf2529

Interesting. Thanks for posting.

tallguy86 profile image
tallguy86

Always grateful to you for posting articles and research outcomes and other issues related to Pca. Be well!

garyi profile image
garyi

Thanks....facts are always better than rumors.

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