Focal Therapy Oversold?

[MarkS]

This article has just appeared: medscape.com/viewarticle/fo...

It would appear that focal therapy (e.g. HIFU) is oversold. Of note:

- there are no agreed guidelines

- the long-term effectiveness is unknown

- there is the possibility of leaving behind untreated cancer

- it is very expensive

It may work in some cases, but there are reports of 40% of men with intermediate or high risk cancer having residual cancer after treatment.

[Tall_Allen]

I keep this up-to-date:

prostatecancer.news/2016/12...

They claim they can't get patients to enroll in a randomized clinical trial vs SBRT. But that is because the practitioners do not have equipoise. Ahmed blocked me when I showed him that compilation. They also won't do the molecular analysis of the in-field failures. Confirmation bias blinds them.

I hope there will be multi-million dollar lawsuits against those claiming to cure prostate cancer when it is only approved as a treatment for removing prostate tissue (like a TURP).

[cfhny in reply to Tall_Allen]

TA - thank you for this info. Anyone who values you as a source of PCa treatment information should follow your included link, then bookmark it. They will find an enormous amount of info straight from just one source - Allen Edel (aka Tall_Allen).

Thanks again for all that you bring to us PCa soldiers!

Charlie

[jethrotullag]

Just listened to PCRI , Alex, and Dr. Scholz's discussion on focal therapies. You tube. A wealth of information is given in a plain organized manner.

[Smallfall]

I wasted time and money also...and allowed my 3+4 cancer to grow to 4+3!!

[fast_eddie]

HIFU can be focal therapy but it can also be full gland treatment. I agree that focal treatment is a half-ass way to treat cancer. It can leave potential problem areas untreated. I received full gland HIFU treatment. That's what my experienced surgeon recommended. I was a good candidate having had TURP surgery 10 years prior to that. I had HIFU surgery 6 1/2 years ago and my experience with it has been very good.