CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are often forced to choose between invasive treatment, such as surgery or radiation, or watchful waiting, simply monitoring the disease over time. HIFU, which stands for high intensity focused ultrasound, is helping men find middle ground in choosing a treatment option that eliminates the disease but also preserves quality of life.

HIFU is a non-surgical, radiation-free, outpatient procedure that uses focused sound waves to heat and destroy tissue in the prostate. In October 2015, the FDA cleared HIFU for prostate tissue ablation.

HIFU Prostate Services, the most experienced provider of HIFU with the largest network of HIFU doctors, announced a new partnership with Prostate Cancer Specialist of Los Angeles and Pacific Coast Urology that will further expand their network and give patients access to HIFU in Beverly Hills, Calif. led by Kia Michel, MD.

HIFU treatment will take place at La Peer Surgery Center, a California-based multi million-dollar outpatient facility that is home to 50 of the country's most renowned surgeons across all major medical disciplines. This HIFU treatment center is the eighth treatment center that HIFU Prostate Services has established in the U.S. and the first HIFU center in the world to specialize exclusively in offering men a focal therapy option.

Focal therapy, often referred to as a "male lumpectomy," is a general term for a variety of noninvasive techniques for destroying small tumors inside the prostate while leaving the gland intact and sparing most of its normal tissue.

"HIFU is in a unique position to be able to destroy tissue within the prostate, without causing damage to surround tissue and nerves. Since it is a non-invasive, outpatient procedure, it is the perfect tool to ablate small amounts of tissue at a time," said Robert Pugach, MD, medical director of Pacific Coast Urology and a HIFU proctor who has been involved with over 400 HIFU treatments.

"Using the unique features of the Sonablate HIFU System, I can customize treatment for each patient's prostate and disease. Sometimes this means only treating part of the prostate, more specifically, the location of the tumor," said Michel. "Until very recently, the standard practice for treating prostate cancer has been to surgically remove the entire gland. With new diagnostic tools, we can now pinpoint exactly where the tumor within the prostate is located using multi-parametric MRI and UroNav fusion biopsies, and then we can fuse those same images to the Sonablate to guide us in delivering HIFU to target tissue in the prostate."

"As industry insiders already know, the Sonablate is the first and only HIFU device that can truly be used for focal therapy since it integrates with the diagnostic equipment already in a urological practice," said John McLean, chief operating officer at HIFU Prostate Services. "Dr. Michel's commitment to focal therapy using the Sonablate offers patients something no one else can in Beverly Hills."

About HIFU Prostate Services, LLC
HIFU Prostate Services (HPS) is the first, largest, and most experienced HIFU team in the U.S. and was founded to provide men access to a less invasive treatment option for prostate cancer that has the ability to eliminate cancer and preserve patient quality of life. Our mission is to deliver the highest quality of care, support, and technology to the patient and to the urology community for the treatment of localized prostate cancer using Sonablate HIFU. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC and has established partnerships with physicians and urology practices throughout the country. More info: http://www.hifuprostateservices.com.

About Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles
Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles is a renowned practice dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of men with prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles is comprised of the top physicians in several medical subspecialties (urology, radiology, radiation therapy and oncology) whose focus is providing the most comprehensive care for men with prostate cancer or at risk of developing prostate cancer. Given their expertise, the physicians at the Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles have access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities available and provide diagnostic and treatment options specifically tailored for each patient. The expertise at Prostate Cancer Specialists of Los Angeles and access to the most advanced technology translates into outstanding results for patients. More info: http://prostatecancerdr.com/.

About Pacific Coast Urology
Pacific Coast Urology is one of the leading practices in the United States in procedures that minimize discomfort and allow patients to achieve the same benefits as with more invasive procedures. They have pioneered minimally invasive therapies for many urological conditions and remain at the forefront of new advances. Pacific Coast Urology strives to always provide special, personalized care that puts patients at the center of what the practice does. Dr. Pugach performs HIFU at Los Alamitos Surgery Center near Los Angeles, CA. More info: www.pacificcoasturology.com.


SOURCE HIFU Prostate Services