UAE—Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of the M42 network, has added High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to its prostate cancer treatment options.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound is a new non-surgical procedure that provides patients with a minimally invasive option for care.
The procedure uses focused ultrasound waves to precisely target and kill sick tissues without the necessity of incisions or anaesthesia.
Other treatments used prior to this new procedure were prostatectomy, which entailed doctors removing the prostate, and radical prostatectomy, which removed both the prostate and the seminal vesicles (glands that create the fluids that transform into semen).
Additional treatments include radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells, either through external radiation therapy or internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy)
External radiation therapy involves using a machine outside the body to direct radiation at the cancer cells, whereas brachytherapy involves radioactive seeds or pellets being surgically placed into or near the cancer to destroy the cancer cells.
Focal One HIFU therapy is performed under real-time robotic supervision and involves sending precisely controlled sound waves to the prostate, resulting in the death of cancer cells while causing the least amount of damage to surrounding tissue.
The Focal One HIFU technology helps avoid common side effects of prostate cancer by selectively targeting malignant tissue within the prostate, such as erectile dysfunction, urine incontinence, and irritative voiding.
Dr. Waleed Hassen, Department Chair of Urology in the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, stated that while not all patients are eligible for Focal One HIFU therapy, it is a promising advancement for patients with low-volume cancer who want to avoid more invasive treatments like surgery and radiation.
He went on to say that the recovery time with Focal One HIFU therapy is often shorter, and it is reproducible if the cancer recurs or is not treated initially.
He further stated that the implementation of Focal One HIFU therapy not only aligns with our aim to provide world-class medical services but also improves patient care, contributing to Abu Dhabi’s rising reputation as a centre for medical excellence.
Prostate cancer is one of the five most frequent malignancies in the world and the most common solid tumor in males, with 1.41 million new cases identified in 2020 alone, according to the World Health Organization.
However, the disease is extremely treatable in its early stages, with sophisticated treatment options such as Focal One HIFU therapy improving the likelihood of successful outcomes.
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