Grandview Medical Center First to Offer New Treatment for Prostate Cancer
1/27/2017
Grandview Medical Center is the first and only hospital in Alabama to offer a minimally invasive treatment option for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
While traditional treatment options have included surgery and radiation, HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) eradicates prostate cancer cells through the precision focusing of sound waves to a targeted location. The process results in the creation of heat due to the interaction between the sound waves and the cancerous tissue to destroy cancer cells.
For patients, HIFU offers many benefits. “Because this is a non-surgical approach and does not require radiation, the risk of side effects that accompany traditional treatments, such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence, is significantly decreased,” said urologist Dr. Andrew Strang, with Urology Centers of Alabama. “Additionally, this is an outpatient procedure that is minimally invasive requiring no surgery and no radiation.”
It is important to note that not all prostate cancer patients are excellent candidates for HIFU. Patients would need to discuss this option with their urologist.
HIFU has been available outside of the United States since 1995. In 2015, HIFU received FDA approval making it available for the first time in the US.
One in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men.
Back