Urologists at Beaumont Health System in Royal Oak are the first in the country to treat localized prostate cancer with an experimental treatment designed to reduce potential long-term complications, affecting urinary, bowel, and sexual function, resulting from traditional treatment.
“A better understanding of the natural history of prostate cancer has led us to focus on less invasive or less radical treatments,” says Dr. Jason Hafron, a Beaumont urologist and co-principal investigator of the study. “As more men are diagnosed with prostate cancer through earlier screening and detection, we are focusing on the development of treatment options with fewer long-term complications affecting quality of life.”
Hafron says the first treatment was performed on Jan. 25 using a new medical device developed by Profound Medical Inc. of Canada. The outpatient procedure used a MRI guidance system to allow physicians to precisely target the delivery of heat therapy to the prostate gland of the patient with the ultrasound device and avoid damage to nearby nerves and organs.
To continue the study, Beaumont is looking for men, age 65 or older, with low-risk, early-stage, organ-confined prostate cancer. Research participants will be followed for a minimum of 12 months and monitored for quality of life and signs of cancer recurrence. For more information on study enrollment, call Maureen Cooney at 248-551-9477.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer in men. About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, with the risk being highest after age 60.
