Investigative Study of the Role of Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Surgery and irradiation for organ confined prostate cancer provide excellent long-term cancer control but they may be accompanied by a risk of side effects that decrease quality of life. Due to the stage migration of prostate cancer, the potential for patients to undergo unnecessary treatment and the risk of treatment related morbidity, has been increased.Alternative strategies that offer the possibility of delaying, obviating or minimizing the impact of treatment maintaining the same oncological long term results have been investigated. Despite pros and cons active surveillance has not gained popularity in men with low risk prostate cancer as only 7% of men with localized prostate cancer remain in active surveillance. Traditionally solid tumors have been treated with radical surgery but selective, organ sparing therapies are now common for tumors of the breast, skin and kidney, resulting in equivalent rates of cancer control, lower morbidity rates and less disfigurement. With this in mind the potential role of focal ablative therapy for localized prostate cancer might be considered. The researchers will investigate the feasibility and the efficacy in term of quality of life and oncologic results of focal therapy by a pilot not randomized prospective study in a patients with localized prostate cancer who meet low risk criteria based on clinical, biopsy and imaging data.