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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
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Focal Laser Ablation of Prostate Cancer: An Office Procedure
Published on: March 30, 2021
Selective prostate cancer thermal ablation with laser activated gold nanoshells
Joshua M Stern1, Jennifer Stanfield, Wareef Kabbani
1Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
The Journal of Urology
|December 18, 2007
Summary
Gold nanoshells combined with near-infrared laser treatment effectively ablated prostate cancer in a mouse model. This minimally invasive thermal ablation technique demonstrated significant tumor necrosis and regression with precise targeting.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- Minimally invasive thermal ablation offers tissue-sparing treatment for tumors.
- Gold nanoshells are engineered as potent near-infrared absorbers for targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of laser-activated gold nanoshells for prostate cancer eradication.
- To assess the safety and selectivity of this novel ablation technology in a preclinical model.
Main Methods:
- PC-3 prostate cancer cells were implanted in nude mice.
- Groups received gold nanoshells with or without near-infrared laser, or saline controls.
- Tumor response, temperature, and histology were analyzed post-treatment.
Main Results:
- High-dose gold nanoshells plus laser treatment achieved 93% tumor necrosis and regression.
- Ablation was confined to the laser-targeted area, showing high selectivity.
- Temperatures reached up to 65.4°C in treated tumors, with no adverse effects in control groups.
Conclusions:
- Laser-activated gold nanoshell ablation is a highly effective and selective method for prostate cancer treatment.
- This technology shows promise for minimally invasive cancer therapy in preclinical settings.
