Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer – Nanoknife

There are three forms of focal therapy for prostate cancer: HIFU, cryotherapy, and electroporation – known as Nanoknife. Focal therapy is used when we want to treat only a specific region of the prostate.

Larger or more aggressive diseases are better treated with surgery or radiotherapy.

In electroporation, probes or electrodes are positioned precisely within the prostate tumor, guided by ultrasound. High-voltage electrical pulses (300–3000 volts/cm) of extremely short duration (100 microseconds) are applied between the electrodes. The electrical pulses create irreversible pores in the membrane of cancer cells, leading to loss of cellular balance and resulting in cell death within hours.

The advantages include a lower risk of permanent side effects, preservation of sexual and urinary function. It requires the use of a urinary catheter for 5 to 7 days.

For patients with precise indication, it offers excellent results, with a recurrence rate of only about 19%.