Search results for "Cryotherapy"

 Cheers. I know there are good traditional services in the North East. However for some of the newer Focal treatments HiFU, Cryotherapy and Nanoknife for instance they are referring me to London and Southampton NHS areas ! 

Edited: by member 11 Nov 2026 at 21:30  | Reason: Not specified

As previously mentioned. Fit aged 68 yr old who has been on Active Survellance for 5 years with score of Gleason 6 3 3. Recent tests MRI Biopsy Bone Scan show Gleason 7 4.3. Met with Consultant yesterday to discuss options. Prostrate Removal, Radiotherapy or Focal. I accept removal solves most issues but still very sexual active so that concerns us. Radiotherapy is fine but told hormone treatment likely  and that worries me. I like who I am and don't want to be another me. Therefore Focal appeals either Hifu, Nanoknife or Cryotherapy sound good and I think but not sure Hormone treatment is not needed with these treatments. Any comments views appreciated.

DM2025,

I had surgery that did not work at all and had to have salvage RT in less than 18 months post op.

Neither is pleasant but RT is certainly less painful than surgery.

I would recommend that you investigate more focal therapies like HIFU, Electropororation and Cryotherapy and ask if you are suitable for any of these.

Proton Beam therapy which is said to be less damaging than RT and also 5 day RT aka SBRT may also be an option and is becoming more common.

If I had been better informed and advised I think I would have avoided surgery.

Good luck

Al

Gerry,

Firstly, do you know that you are a suitable candidate for HIFU which means your cancer is in a position the Probe can reach or have any contraindications? A Focal Therapy Consultant needs to verify this. Also, there was a man here very recently whose local authority did not offer HIFU and declined to pay for it, so unless they change their thinking, he will have to pay for it privately.

Be aware that tumours can be multifocal and that the aim of HIFU is to treat only ones that are considered significant. Also note that in a sizeable number of cases a second HIFU is required, as in my case.

Men generally find HIFU a quick and easy operation and go home shortly after 'coming round' but with catheter for 7 days or so.

Side effects are mild and I had none but previous RT meant I already had ED, although HIFU has a good record on this anyway. It is posible to repeat HIFU or have RT or Prostatectomy after if required, athough prior HIFU makes subsequent RT or Prostatectomy more difficult

I had my first HIFU as salvage treatment for RT in 2015 and the second time in 2021 and am currently 'In remission'.

Men who want HIFU but are unsuitable sometime can have Cryotherapy of Nanoknife (Irreversable Electroporation) instead.

Edited: by member 03 Nov 2026 at 15:57  | Reason: Not specified

Focal treatment is used to kill cancer cells by hitting them with Heat (HIFU), Ice formation (Cryotherapy), Electricity (Nanoknife or Electroporation) or Laser (FLA). The medium used depends on an individual's suitability and the preference of the person administering the treatment but does not use radiation for the treatment.

Hi Bret,

You have 3 hurdles to jump if you want to be considered for Focal Treatment, be it HIFU, Cryotherapy or Nanoknife (Irreversible Electroporation). You must be assessed as being a suitable candidate, be prepared to travel to London or one of the other centres in Southern England as I don't think they do Focal in Scotland. Also, I don't know that Scottish patients would be treated by NHS England so you would have to check. You could be treated privately in England or abroad if suitable but the procedure is not cheap and with HIFU a second application is often necessary as was in my case.

Edited: by member 16 Oct 2026 at 21:59  | Reason: spelling

I have been offered cryotherapy, any advise welcome

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 needs to be a margin of 5mm round the tumor beyond the treatment area. 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 25 Sep 2026 at 14:08  | Reason: to highlight link

Diagnosis:

cT2a N0 M0 prostate carcinoma with a Gleason score of 3 + 4 = 7.

I have been on active surveillance since 2019 following an initial diagnosis of Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6.

Index PSA is 4.3 µg/L.

After remaining stable on active surveillance since 2019, my recent tests indicate that the cancer has grown, and advised that I now need a treatment procedure to address it.

I have been offered three potential treatment options:

• Surgical removal of the prostate (though I personally don't feel ready for such an invasive surgery at this stage).
• RadiatioTherapy
• FOCAL Therapy [Cryo].

I noticed a few previous forum posts discussing High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), but I haven't been able to find much personal feedback or information specifically regarding Focal Cryotherapy.

I've tried researching both HIFU and Focal Cryotherapy online, but I ended up falling down a series of overwhelming rabbit holes and still feel unsure about which direction to take.

If anyone here has undergone Focal Cryotherapy or has relevant insights, information, or personal experiences to share regarding these options, I would be extremely grateful for your input!

Thanks in advance for your support,

K

You’re right to raise those points about the removal of the prostate. It’s quite crazy to think that it’s removal can still cause reoccurrence but I suppose the chances are lower.

Interestingly while radiotherapy was offered as an option it was clear that this is not what they were recommending, mainly due to the long term impacts. They said that in his age and health position, it would be better as a second line of defence.

Thank you for your focal insights. There certainly seems to be lots of options.  I’ll take a look at the toolkit

Great news on the remission! I hope all remains well.  

Lucy