Radiotherapy v FOCAL Cryo treatment

Professor Mark Emberton is regarded as the top Focal Consultant in the UK. Having watched some of his many videos, I can relay some of what he has said which you may find helpful.

There are a growing number of ways in which Focal Therapy can be given. Not all of these are used in the UK. He says that those administering Focal Treatment tend to use a form of energy with which they are familiar rather than dilute their skills on many forms. So for instance, he is aware that Tulsa Pro is an Option used in the USA and Germany but they in UCLH, (the leading centre for Focal Treatment in the UK) have not taken it up, at least at the present time. What is used most frequently in the UK is HIFU, then Cryotherapy, and increasingly Nanoknife which is Irreversible Electroporation. So the tumour in the Prostate is destroyed by heat,ice or electricity. Which of these treatments is administered largely depends on where the tumour is within the Prostate. In the UK the preference is for HIFU where the probe can focus on the tumour but there are some areas it can't reach and Cryotherapy ot Nanoknife is given. Another consideration is that with HIFU there i a can be a margin of 5mm round the tumor beyond the treatment are. So the size, density and position of the tumour can influence whether man is suitable. In the USA Cryotherapy is used more extensively. With Prostatectomy and Radiation, the objective is to deal with the cancer by removing the Prostate and destroying much of it by Photons or Protons The objective with Focal Treatment is to kill only the cancer cells leaving as much of the Prostate as possible in tact and functional.

I had HIFU twice as a salvage treatment for failed Radiotherapy but it can also be given as a primary treatment for suitable men. It is a very mild treatment and after it you hardly have time for a cup of tea and a sandwich before you can go home. The downside (all treatments have downsides of various kinds), is that you might need the treatment to be repeated or the Prostate further treated with another form of treatment.

There is a very good video on various ways to treat PCa but you can skip to Focal Treatment near the end and alternatively Brachytherapy which might be another option for you. Check 36.25 onwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYTU94-8pTc 

Edited by member 22 Sep 2026 at 19:53  | Reason: to highlight link