High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Offers Promising Results with Milder Side Effects
A revolutionary treatment for prostate cancer is now being introduced to NHS clinics across the UK. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) uses high frequency sound waves to destroy tumours, offering much milder side effects compared to traditional therapies for advanced cancers. Patients can undergo treatment in just one day and return to normal activities within two weeks, while still experiencing similar success rates to more invasive procedures.
Expanding Access to Less Invasive Treatment Options
Previously, HIFU was only available at specialist centres in London and surrounding areas. However, cancer charity Prost8 has been working to make this innovative treatment accessible nationwide. The charity argues that men with lower grade cancers are often over-treated and not offered this less invasive procedure. Now, with the opening of the first unit outside of the capital at Royal United Hospitals Bath, prostate cancer care in Britain is reaching a milestone.
Commitment to Advancing Prostate Cancer Care
Prost8 plans to open additional treatment centres at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and Victoria Hospital in Fife, Scotland. The deployment at RUH Bath is co-funded by Prost8 and the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation, highlighting a collective commitment to advancing prostate cancer care and redefining treatment options across the UK.
Positive Patient Experiences
Philip Keevil, chairman of the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation, explains, "HIFU is just one form of focused ultrasound - a non-invasive therapeutic medical technology that is transforming the treatment of a number of medical disorders, including many cancers and diseases of the brain." Paul Sayer, founder of cancer charity Prost8 UK and a HIFU prostate cancer patient himself, emphasizes the urgency of expanding access to these life-saving, minimally invasive treatment options. Sayer, who is now five years clear of cancer, states, "At last, men with a lower grade, treatable prostate cancer diagnosis will be saved from receiving the same essential but aggressive treatments as those given to men with advanced cancer."
Expert Leadership and Training
The programme at RUH Bath will be led by Lucy Simmons, a consultant urological surgeon with extensive expertise in Prostate Cancer Diagnostics and Active Surveillance. Training and support for the new deployment have been provided by Professor Hashim Ahmed of Imperial College London, a renowned urologist and pioneer in bringing focal treatment for prostate cancer to the UK.
HIFU: Beyond Prostate Cancer
HIFU technology has more than 30 regulatory approvals worldwide and is being researched for over 170 diseases and conditions. In the UK, around 52,000 men are affected by prostate cancer each year, and approximately 12,000 of them could benefit from HIFU treatment, which offers better outcomes in terms of urinary, bowel, and sexual function.
A Patient's Perspective
Andrew Sanders, a recently diagnosed prostate cancer patient, shares his experience. After considering various invasive treatment options, he opted for HIFU and became one of the first patients at RUH Bath to benefit from this breakthrough treatment. Andrew praises the lack of pain and discomfort associated with the procedure and expresses gratitude for the accessibility of treatment in Bath.
With the introduction of HIFU treatment on the NHS, prostate cancer care in the UK is taking a significant step forward. Patients can now benefit from a less invasive procedure with milder side effects, providing hope for better outcomes and improved quality of life.
