Urocare London are a part of the Focal therapy users group and are able to offer this treatment to our patients.
HIFU (high intensity focussed ultrasound) is a targeted therapy for prostate cancer which uses high frequency ultrasound waves to destroy cancer cells in the prostate. HIFU is used to treat men with localised prostate cancer that has not spread beyond their prostate.
An ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum releases high-frequency sound waves through the wall of the rectum. These sound waves kill cancer cells in the prostate gland by heating them to a high temperature.
The risk of side effects from HIFU is usually lower than other treatments. However, possible effects can include impotence (in 5-10 in every 100 men) or urinary incontinence (in less than 1 in every 100 men). Back passage problems are rare. Fistulas (an abnormal channel between the urinary system and rectum) are also rare, affecting less than one in every 500 men. This is because the treatment targets the cancer area only and not the whole prostate.
