Nanoknife and HIfu

User

Posted 06 Apr 2015 at 07:54

I'm 51 years old, Belgian, and recently diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The results are :
- gleason score 3+3
- PSA : 4.9
- apex left : cylinder 30%
- middle left : 10 and 40%
- apex right : 1 cylinder, 5% tumor
- the tumor T2b

BILATERAL affected = T2cNxM0 tumor with Gleason 3+3=6 abd PSA = 4,9 ng/ml : intermediate risc prostatecancer T2cNxM0 according to the international division.

I've been around trying to do my research.

I have to admit that it's a very difficult which therapy to follow.

So far I'm willing to go for Hifu. But it's not decided yet.

Yesterday I read about Nanoknife. This is new for me and apparently it can't be done in Belgium.

Does anybody has experienced this therapy and how do you feel about it.

Thanks for your reply.

Greetings,

Peter

User

Posted 06 Apr 2015 at 23:56

Hi Peter,

There are a few members who have had HIFU on the forum but I can't recall anybody who has had Nanoknife treatment for PCa. Interestingly, Professor E is quoted in this link as being an authority on Nanoknife and also for HIFU. You could try contacting him for an opinion. I think you might have to provide a complete histology and also provide a disc with all your scans on. You will find Nanoknife treatment is available in the UK, amongst several countries. If you have medical insurance you could check whether these treatments are covered. Also, some countries are more forthcoming in paying for treatment in other EU countries as part of cross border health arrangements. http://www.theprincessgracehospital.com/hospital-services/services/nanoknife/

I am hoping to have HIFU or Cryotherapy as part of a study for men being run by Professor E, for men who have failed radiotherapy, pending scans for which I am waiting results. I will ask about Nanoknife if the opportunity arises.

Barry

User

Posted 08 Apr 2015 at 08:02

Hi Barry,

Thank you very much for your reply.

Good luck.

Greetings,

Peter

User

Posted 01 Nov 2016 at 11:20

Hi Peter,

Hope you are well. My dad (56) was diagnosed with prostate cancer; Gleason 3+3, PSA 7,45.

He is willing to go for Nanoknife or Hifu, I was wondering which treatment did you choose and how did it work out for you?

I would be very grateful for any feedback you could might be able to give me..

Many thanks

Lati

User

Posted 01 Nov 2016 at 20:34

Hi Guys,

I researched Cryotherapy and Cyberknife (which I think is similar to Nanoknife?) back in 2013 when my initial (2009) external beam radiotherapy was deemed to have failed.

My original consultant, coincidentally was the local Cryotherapy expert having conducted trials, he told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn't suitable for cryotherapy. I might be totally wrong here, but I got the impression that cryotherapy was a viable option for patients with small tumours located within the prostate gland. But for large tumours, or those near the edge of the gland, cryotherapy caused problems to surrounding tissues. The problem seems to be keeping surrounding tissue warm enough to remain viable, whilst freezing the adjacent tumour enough to kill it off.

I know another patient who had salvage cryotherapy and ended up having to have reconstruction work on his bladder where the cryotherapy had 'burned' or 'frozen' if you prefer, a hole in his bladder.

In my case I was referred to another consultant at a different hospital where I was offered HDR Brachytherapy, and that seems to have done the trick, in that currently my PSA is well within expectations.

To my way of thinking, the beauty of HDR Brachytherapy is that they insert the tubes, then scan you so they can see that the tubes are in exactly the right place, then once they are satisfied, they insert the radioactive rods and cook the tumour from the inside. Whereas with any external beam method, you have to do your best to keep still, and every time you cough or twitch you are causing the beams to miss their target.

Dave

User

Posted 02 Nov 2016 at 00:34

Dave,
Pleased your treatment seems to have served you well, at least to date.

Cyberknife is a refined way of delivering RT. Nanoknife bears no relation to Cyberknife. It does not deliver RT but short pulses of high levels of electricity directed at the tumour through inserted electrodes, (Irreversible Electroporation). I did give a link to the process in my post of 6th April 2015. From what was said on their website it appeared that Princess Grace Hospital were doing it for Prostate as they mention Prostate. However, when I called on them whilst in London, the receptionist checked with the consultant and said although they did Nanoknife for some cancers, Prostate was not one of them in April 2015 at least. Also, UCLH ended the trial of Nanoknife for Prostate by the time I was ready for salvage treatment, so I had HIFU. (Had they not been able to direct the probe to focus on the tumour, I would have been offered Cryotherapy instead. Vulnerable organs are now protected by insulation and heating to help stop them being damaged by the ice ball formed in this procedure). So to the best of my knowledge, it now means going outside the UK if you want Nanoknife. HIFU is not widely available but more facilities are being established though mainly private.

For suitable patients, Brachytherapy, high or low dose has a theoretical advantage over External Beam which seems to be translating into better results than External Beam although the latter sometimes supplements it.

Barry

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