A new technique recently eliminated prostate cancer in 80% of subjects in a study.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. It is estimated that approximately 50,000 new cases are declared in France each year. It is often treated with surgery or radiation therapy techniques. These methods can be effective but they often lead to adverse effects . These include urinary function disorders, intestinal disorders or impotence problems.
Over the past few years, a team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (United States) has been developing a less invasive technique which, on paper, could be much more effective .
This one, called TULSA (MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation) consists of passing a rod through the urethra to reach the prostate. Once in place, it emits sound waves that can be controlled to heat and destroy diseased tissue . This targeted method allows at the same time to preserve healthy tissue .
All sound waves can be controlled to orient their shape, direction, and strength. Another advantage:everything happens in an MRI scanner, allowing doctors to monitor the procedure in real time . Everything is also done on an outpatient basis with a very short recovery time.
For this new study, the researchers recruited 115 men with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The disease was not extended to other organs. Each participant was treated with this new technique for an average duration of 51 minutes . After which the researchers evaluated the evolution of the disease one year later .
It was found that "clinically significant cancers had been completely eliminated in 80% of the subjects . The latter also did not suffer from any intestinal complications and did not report having suffered at the urinary level. Only a few of the participants mentioned having suffered from mild erectile dysfunction (impotence).
In addition, it also emerged that the subjects' prostate, after examination, had also reduced in size (39 cm3 before against 3.8 cm3 after treatment). For the researchers, this means that the technique could also be used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate that increases in size with age), which can make urination difficult.
Researchers now aim to continue clinical trials on a larger sample of men. It should also be noted that the technique has already been approved by the health authorities American and European.
In prostate news, let's also remember that a team of researchers has developed a urine test that can diagnose the disease very reliably. Ultimately, this new tool could make it possible to forget unpleasant preventive examinations (digital examination), and very expensive biopsies.
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