What are the advantages
and disavantages?
Advantages
Disadvantages
- HIFU is currently only available in a few centres around the UK
as part of a clinical trial.
- HIFU may be as effective at controlling prostate cancer as some
other treatments. However, because it is a relatively new treatment
and the technology is still developing, we do not know how
effective it is in the long term (beyond five years).
- There is a risk of side effects including urinary problems and
erectile dysfunction. Read our HIFU online fact
sheet for more information on side effects. You will need a
catheter to help you pass urine for up to two weeks after
treatment.
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What does treatment
involve?
If you have a large prostate gland, you may have hormone
therapy to shrink the gland before starting treatment, or a
trans-urethral resection of the prostate operation (TURP) to remove excess prostate tissue.
You will have either a general anaesthetic so that you are asleep
during the treatment, or an anaesthetic injection into your spine
so that you cannot feel anything in your lower body.
The surgeon inserts an ultrasound probe into your back passage
(rectum). The probe gives out a series of high intensity ultrasound
beams, which heat up prostate cells in a specific area and destroy
them. Treatment takes two to three hours.
After your HIFU treatment you will have regular appointments with
your specialist team to check your PSA level and monitor any side effects.
You can read more about what treatment involves in our HIFU
online fact sheet.
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What are the side
effects?
The most common side effects are problems passing urine,
erection problems, ejaculating no semen or less than usual, and
bowel problems. There is no way of knowing which of these you will
get, or how bad they will be. You can ask your specialist team for
more information on the risk of side effects. They should be
willing to show you the results of the treatments which they have
carried out and put you in touch with other men who have had the
treatment.
You can read more about side effects in our HIFU
online fact sheet.
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Questions to ask your
doctor or nurse
- Will I need a TURP before my HIFU treatment?
- Will I need hormone therapy before my HIFU treatment?
- What are the chances of short term and/or long term side
effects with this treatment?
- How will I know if the treatment has worked?
- What should my PSA level be after treatment and when will you
be checking it again?
- If my PSA does not fall or if it continues to rise, what other
treatments are available?
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References
You can find a list of references used to produce this page in
our online fact sheet.
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