[Focal therapy and prostate cancer]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology

Context:

• Radical prostatectomy is common for localized prostate cancer (PCa), but causes significant morbidity.
• Active surveillance is underutilized for low-risk PCa.
• Focal therapy (FT) emerges as a "subtotal therapy" option.

Purpose:

• To review the current literature on focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa).
• To define the target population for FT.
• To discuss pre-operative evaluation, perioperative outcomes, functional results, and disease control after FT.

Summary:

• Focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa) selectively ablates cancerous tissue, aiming to preserve organ function and minimize long-term side effects.
• This approach is analogous to breast-conserving surgery, offering an alternative to radical treatments.
• The review covers patient selection, diagnostic localization, and outcomes (perioperative, functional, oncological) of FT.

Impact:

• Focal therapy (FT) offers a potential strategy to reduce treatment-related morbidity in prostate cancer (PCa) patients.
• It provides a less invasive alternative for select patients, potentially improving quality of life.
• Advancing FT may enhance treatment options for localized PCa, balancing oncological control and functional preservation.