A cutting-edge prostate cancer therapy, known as focal therapy, demonstrates efficacy comparable to traditional treatments like surgery and radiotherapy but with a substantially lower risk of debilitating side effects, according to a new study.
Focal therapy targets cancerous growths with high precision, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy prostate tissue and crucial nerves and muscles responsible for urinary and sexual function. This approach utilizes either heat-based high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) or freezing-based cryotherapy. Patients treated with focal therapy experienced a five-fold reduction in side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction compared to those undergoing surgery or radiotherapy.
Former Prime Minister David Cameron and television presenter Jeremy Clarkson are among the men who have received this advanced treatment. Cameron stated he was fortunate to benefit from focal therapy, which reduced his risk of life-changing side effects, and expressed hope that wider access would become available for men across the UK regardless of their location or financial means.
The study, conducted by Imperial College London, tracked 3,477 men treated with focal therapy. Over a ten-year period, only 0.13% died from prostate cancer, and 3.3% developed metastasis, indicating that focal therapy patients faced no higher risk of cancer recurrence or spread than those treated with conventional methods.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in the UK, with over 60,000 diagnoses annually. For localized cancers, options typically include surgical removal of the prostate or whole-gland radiotherapy. While effective, these treatments can lead to long-term side effects that impact quality of life, and are a key reason why the UK National Screening Committee has advised against universal prostate cancer screening.
Approximately half to two-thirds of localized prostate cancers, equating to about 15,000 men per year in the UK, are suitable candidates for focal therapy. However, only around 1,000 men currently receive it due to limited availability on the National Health Service (NHS). The majority of specialized centers offering this treatment are concentrated in London and the South East of England, with no facilities in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Prostate Cancer UK is urging the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to review the latest findings and approve focal therapy for widespread NHS use, thereby ending what they term a 'postcode lottery' for treatment access. The organization highlights that reducing the incidence of severe side effects from treatment could also pave the way for a national screening program. Professor Hashim Ahmed of Imperial College London expressed satisfaction with the data, stating it confirms the comparable cancer control offered by focal therapies alongside significantly fewer side effects, and hopes it will lead to NICE approval and greater patient confidence in these targeted treatments.