High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (Sonablate^®) for Prostate Cancer: Preliminary Outcomes in Taiwan.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Localized prostate cancer requires effective treatment options that balance oncological outcomes with functional preservation.
• High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging technology for prostate cancer treatment.
• Evaluating the efficacy and safety of HIFU in diverse patient populations is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the preliminary outcomes of Sonablate® HIFU in combination with transurethral resection for localized prostate cancer in Taiwan.
• To assess cancer control, erectile function, urinary symptoms, quality of life, and complications following HIFU treatment.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-seven patients with localized prostate cancer underwent Sonablate® HIFU between April 2021 and December 2022.
• Data collected included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), and complications.
• Patients were stratified by D'Amico risk classification, and outcomes were analyzed based on risk group and follow-up duration.

Main Results:

• Biochemical-free survival rates were 100% for low-risk, 96.4% for intermediate-risk, and 79.4% for high-risk patients at a median follow-up of 12.09 months.
• Significant improvement was observed in mean IPSS (10.4 to 6.8, p=0.003) and QoL scores (3.2 to 3.0, p=0.096).
• No statistically significant change in IIEF scores was noted in patients undergoing nerve-sparing procedures, indicating preserved erectile function.

Conclusions:

• Sonablate® HIFU in Taiwan provides adequate short-term cancer control for localized prostate cancer.
• The treatment demonstrates excellent preservation of potency and continence.
• HIFU offers significant improvement in urinary symptoms (IPSS) with a low rate of postoperative complications.