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You are here: Home › Ablatherm® HIFU Treatment › Which patients can be treated with Ablatherm® HIFU?

Which patients can be treated with Ablatherm® HIFU?

Patients who have not yet received any treatment for prostate cancer

Thermal ablation is particularly recommended for radical treatment (i.e. treating the whole gland) with patients who have:

A localized stage T1 or T2 cancer
A Gleason score of 7 or less
A desire to maintain maximum quality of life after treatment

It is also possible to treat higher-stage cancers (T3) and more aggressive cancers (with a Gleason score >7), but this should be discussed in advance with a urologist with expert knowledge of the technique.

Patients seeking an innovative approach: focal treatment

The Ablatherm® HIFU is the ideal treatment tool in cases where the decision has been made to treat just the diseased part of the prostate in order to preserve maximum quality of life. The aim of this therapeutic approach is to control the disease by closely monitoring the patient and repeating the treatment as necessary.
This innovative care strategy is currently being investigated.

Patients who have already received HIFU treatment

All patients treated with the Ablatherm® HIFU can receive repeat treatments if the outcome of the original treatment justifies it. This option to repeat treatment is not available with conventional radiotherapy and surgical treatments.

Patients who have already received radiotherapy

When a patient has already received radiotherapy treatment for localized prostate cancer but the cancer has recurred, the range of possible treatments is limited, but Ablatherm® HIFU represents an excellent "second chance".
Ablatherm® HIFU treatment eligibility criteria:

Localized (i.e. within the gland) recurrence of the cancer has been detected
The staging assessment is clear, i.e. the cancer is still totally contained within the prostate

Ablatherm® HIFU contraindications:

Anal or rectal surgery that prevents insertion of the probe
Artificial sphincter, penile implants and intra-prostatic implants
Allergy to latex.

Last update 1 June 2010.

Talking about HIFU

Inform your general practitioner.

Glossary

Ablatherm® HIFU: Medical appliance that uses HIFU* to treat prostate cancer.
Gleason score: Result obtained after studying prostate cancer cells under the microscope. This score provides a measure of the degree of aggressiveness of the cancer.
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): Medical technique that treats tumors by using focused ultrasound pulses to generate heat.
Recurrence: Reappearance of signs indicating the presence of cancer following a period of remission.
Sphincter: Ring of muscle around a natural orifice, allowing the orifice to open and close. - The urinary sphincter, located at the prostate outlet, controls the retention and release of urine. - The anal sphincter controls the retention and release of stools.
Thermal ablation: Treatment using the Ablatherm
Urologist: Physician who specializes in urinary and genital conditions.

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