Focal therapy: new treatment against prostate cancer
While the debate among health professionals on screening for prostate cancer is still not settled, several new strategies against prostate cancer are currently being tested in particular to avoid the effects of conventional treatments.
Currently, patients have two options:
1. They can be actively monitored, not always lived psychologically
2. Or active treatment to cure, with a significant risk of urinary squeal and or sexual.
The third possibility, still under experimentation, is that of a partial treatment of the gland, tumor limited to the part: focal therapy.
With the steady increase in PSA screening, still very controversial, urologists are increasingly confronted with small tumors of prostate, localized and indolent. It is these patients that could be proposed focal therapies.
These treatments aim to destroy cancerous foci ultrasonic, cold (cryotherapy) or by light acting on an agent photosensitizer (PDT). Note that this technique has the particularity to destroy the vessels feeding the tumor. If the therapeutic promise is held by these new techniques, 20% of cancers could benefit.
I must remind you that a recent study has shown that early detection of prostate cancer at a preclinical stage (i.e. before there are symptoms) does not improve survival but decreases greatly the quality of life (incontinence, impotence …)
At a time when there raises the question of the appropriateness of screening for prostate cancer, the arrival of a less invasive treatment and disabling would be welcome news to follow……
Posted in 
Tags: