Is it even worth considering HIFU as a treatment for localised prostate cancer?
I like the sound of it being less invasive and sparing of the ED and incontinence side effects of the recognised main treatment options.
However, the long term effectiveness post 5 years is a little sketchy; and a reasonably high percentage of those who undergo this treatment need re-HIFU treatment in under 5 years.
Also, can surgery and RT be used as salvage treatments after HIFU?
And, no one seems to be promoting HIFU as a treatment other than those who are providing such treatments.
So is HIFU a realistic treatment for localised prostate cancer?
Has anyone had it and what is your experience (both good and bad stories)?
Thank you
Hi !
As you notice HiFU is not considered standard of care treatment and I suppose one big reason is of course that it’s rather a new treatment as many of the focal/local therapies are. When I started my prostate cancer treatment in Sweden I looked into HIFU as well but, like the UK i think, it’s mainly in studies that it’s used and probably there are only a few clinics of excellence that do the treatment.
I believe that there is not much statistics yet long term to really now how good the treatment actually is.
Like most I don’t think that it will be a problem to have either salvage RP or salvage radiation if recurrence, depending on the grade of recurrence and like always, salvage often needs to be evaluated extra to make sure you’re a good candidate for the salvage treatment.
As you can see I have no experience in HIFU and salvage but from another forum i’m member in I have seen a mans story from initial HIFU, to cyberknife, to ADT and 4 modalities of radiation and to this day, actually going from very localized PC to advanced PC with mets and now off the ADT with still undetectable PSA so, yes there are success stories as well 
If your really interested in HIFU treatment my suggestion is to maybe look into American studies because I think it’s more ’mainstream’ there.
Best wishes - Ulf
