Hi APGS
My situation was that after failed RT I was left with the choice of Prostatectomy which UCLH said would almost certainly mean permanent incontinence or Hormone Treatment that might work for some unknown time or a Focal Therapy that might work at least for a time and could be followed by further Focal Therapy.or a Prostatectomy. I was therefore keen to participate in a trial which offered either HIFU (their first choice, or otherwise Cryotherapy . As it was the case, I was suitable for HIFU, so jumped at the opportunity to have this.
It would appear that you are in a different position because you are considering it as a primary treatment so if you chose Prostatectomy, unlike me you would not have a Prostate that had been subjected to changes brought about by radiation, so side effects would be likely to be less severe. However, it is possible that you might need a second focal treatment of focal therapy and depending how well it works after the first or second focal therapy procedure you might the a Prostatectomy or form of RT because it was asking too much of the focal treatment. You have to remember that focal therapy aims to only treat significant tumour, not all tumours, the objective being to maintain as much function as possible.
Most experience with HIFU is as a salvage treatment for failed RT,, there is not being much experience even of this for many years or at many facilities. So this is why it is regarded as experimental due to long term assessment. Certainly there have been improvements in equipment iand techniques n administering focal therapy just as there have been with RP an RT treatment which makes comparisons difficult as results are considered going back some year which will not necessarily reflect current advances.
Whist results from all treatments have improved, they all have their failures and successes for a number of reasons and not least because of variable response of individual patients.
In my experience the second application of HIFU was easier than the first and only after about 3 hours following it II was driven home some 200 miles to my home in Devon, The worst aspect for me was the catheter, which I found uncomfortable until it was removed about 7 days later. Can't think of any side effects after the op. If cancer takes hold again which is always a possibility, at least I have set it back and with it the threatened Hormone treatment I have tried to avoid. I did write in more detail and will add this if I can find link.
I no longer do personal messages except in exceptional circumstances, In this I take the same view as Lyn that any matter that can be referred to can be usefully posted on the forum which may also help others. Furthermore, this gives other members the chance to offer a different point of view or updated information.
https://community.prostatecanceruk.org/posts/t10960-HIFU--my-experience
Edited by member 11 Jul 2023 at 01:04
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