Scores for erectile function and prostate symptoms were similar at baseline and five months.
"The results so far have been very good," Dr. Ghai said. "We treated a smaller area using this device, yet still had very good results. At the same time the patients preserved their erectile and urinary function."
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Although MRgFUS requires additional expertise, resources and cost, it has several key advantages over other approaches. Use of MRI allows for thermal feedback during treatment, an important consideration since killing the cancerous tissue requires a temperature of more than 60 degrees Celsius.
"MRI almost instantaneously gives feedback as to the temperature that we've been able to achieve at the site," Dr. Ghai said. "If the temperature was not what I wanted to get, I can reheat that area so that chances for successful treatment increase."
An additional benefit of MRI is that it can show if there is any remaining vascularity in the treatment area, a sign that not all the cancer has been eradicated.
Pending approval from the U.S Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada, MRgFUS has promise as an option for intermediate-risk patients who want their prostate cancer eradicated without diminishing their quality of life, a group that makes up a potentially significant number of patients. Dr. Ghai estimates that of all the prostate cancer patients who go on to get surgery or radiation therapy, approximately 20% to 30% would be eligible for some type of focal therapy like MRgFUS.
As part of the study, the researchers are collecting two-year follow-up data from all patients in the study group and plan to publish the results in another manuscript.
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