Two medical centers in Russia and Singapore have begun using noninvasive MR-guided focused ultrasound to treat patients with localized low-risk prostate cancer. The procedures are being performed as part of a clinical trial that is expected to include other sites around the world.
In an announcement last month, InSightec said that physicians at the N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology in Saint Petersburg, Russia and at the National Cancer Centre at the Singapore General Hospital, Singapore have so far treated seven men in a Phase 1 clinical trial using its ExAblate system.
"We have had excellent results with ExAblate in treating patients suffering from bone metastases and we believe it has tremendous potential in treating prostate cancer patients with a low complication rate. We and our patients have been very pleased with the results achieved to date," said Professor S.V. Kanaev, Chairman of Radiation Oncology at the N.N Petrov Research Institute of Oncology who is serving as principal investigator for the study.
At Singapore General Hospital, Associate Professor Christopher Cheng, Head and Senior Consultant in the Department of Urology, observed, "Current treatment options for low risk prostate cancer patients have shown limited success in preserving potency and continence functions. We believe that, with the ExAblate non-invasive procedure, we stand a better chance of minimizing life time morbidity without compromising life expectancy."
At present, approved treatment options for prostate cancer include prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland), radiation therapy, brachytherapy (implantation of radioactive seeds), and cryotherapy. Outside the U.S., ultrasound guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is also a treatment option.
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