Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 19, 2025
Focal Laser Ablation of Prostate Cancer: An Office Procedure
Published on: March 30, 2021
Focal ablation of apical prostate cancer lesions with irreversible electroporation (IRE)
Alexandar Blazevski1,2,3, Amer Amin4,5,6, Matthijs J Scheltema4,5,7
1St. Vincent's Prostate Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia. a.blazevski@garvan.org.au.
Introduction And Objective:
To assess the safety, oncological and quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes of focal ablation of apical prostate cancer (PCa) lesions with irreversible electroporation (IRE).
Methods:
Patients were included in the study if they had a PCa lesion within 3 mm of the apical capsule treated with IRE. The IRE procedure was performed in our institution by a single urologist. The QoL and functional data was collected prospectively from patients who provided consent using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC). Oncological follow up included 3-month PSA levels, mpMRI at 6 months and transperineal biopsy at 1-year post treatment.
Results:
A total of 50 patients had apical PCa lesions treated between February 2013 and September 2018. Median follow-up was 44 months. There were no Clavien-Dindo grade 3 events or higher. No perioperative complications were recorded. No significant difference was observed in the EPIC urinary or bowel QoL domain between baseline and 12-month post-treatment. One patient (2%) required one pad per day for urinary incontinence 12-month post-treatment. There was a small but significant decline in EPIC sexual QoL (65 at baseline and 59 at 12-month post-IRE). Of patient's potent pre-treatment, 94% remained potent after treatment. The median PSA nadir decreased by 71% (6.25-1.7 ng/mL). Only one patient (2.5%) had in-field residual disease on repeat biopsy.
Conclusion:
Focal ablation using IRE for PCa in the distal apex appears safe and feasible with acceptable early QoL and oncologic outcomes.
