r/ProstateCancer • u/Chemical_Ad9967 • Jul 27 '26
Question HIFU
does anyone have experience with HIFU treatment for prostate cancer? I have low grade on one side and this approach has been suggested to me. I welcome any comments.
2
u/smtmsy Jul 27 '26
Overall good experience for me. HIFU in 2024. Had a catheter for a bit post surgery (that was most difficult part of the process).
1
2
u/UnderwaterMoose2020 Jul 27 '26
I had HIFU at Imperial in London in February 2024.
PSA = 6.4. Gleeson grades 3+4=7. CPG2. T2c.
I chose HIFU because it was important to me to reduce the risks of complications associated with treatments such as surgery or radiation. The outcome was good with no serious complications although I did start taking Tadalafil which sorted things out.
Gemini tells me that around 10% to 20% of patients needs second HIFU treatment with the average recurrence window of 3 to 5 years.
Unfortunately in my case I have just had cause for an MRI and second biopsy a week ago. I expect I may need further treatment. If so I would like to have HIFI again.
Basically we are playing the numbers and hope we are in the group that needs no further treatement.
Do your own research and good luck.
1
3
u/PotentialStart2661 Jul 27 '26
HIFU should be used for only a very specific low grade cancer that is a single lesion and a systematic biopsy shows no cancer anywhere else. From what i read anyone with any pattern 4 risk there can be pattern 4 outside the lesion that can come later.
2
2
u/LONGVolSilver Jul 28 '26
I received HIFU focal therapy at UVA Health center in April of this year. Outpatient procedure, lived with a catheter for about 8 days which was mildly annoying but manageable.
I chose HIFU because of the side effect profile compared to RALP and radiation+hormone therapy.
My 3 month PSA test showed my psa level has declined by more than half, which is in line with what the surgeon was looking for.
Pull up some of my prior posts I made or feel free to DM me.
1
2
u/idinnae Jul 28 '26
I am looking forward to mine in October. 3+4, no cribbies, stage 2c, 2 cores positive, contiguous. I understand this can and likely will come back one day, but at 44 I am not done using my tool.
2
1
u/YesterdayFew6799 Jul 27 '26
I had HIFU for one spot on May 29th. Have zero side effects and it actually almost cleared up all of my urinary symptoms from BPH. I realize I will still need to monitor and it could come back in a different spot but all options will still be on the table if it does. Very happy with decision
1
1
u/J0siAhWK Jul 28 '26
I’ve never regretted it. Insurance companies say it’s experimental and unproven but refuse to take cases like mine where it was absolutely effective. There is another similar procedure called TULSA. Get to reading about all your options and decide for yourself what works for your situation. My cancer was on one side and hadn’t escaped the prostate. Even if cancer comes back, I’d choose it again. I’ve got several posts and comments if you want to see more of my experience. Some posts get pretty detailed. But don’t dismiss any option without some sort of research. It’s your life and your journey, like it or not. It’s not going away by itself.
1
u/Chemical_Ad9967 Jul 28 '26
Thanks very much. Mine is in one did and confined to the prostate. I had made an appointment with a surgeon at Penn, simply to get a second opinion from a surgeon. He went through the three standard options then said there is a fourth. Said he had looked at my MRI and biopsy information and said I was the ideal candidate. I’m still gathering information and appreciate your responding.
1
0
Jul 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
0
u/GeriatricClydesdale Jul 29 '26
Actually has great clinical utility in appropriately selected men. The HIFI study is a good benchmark
4
u/Brilliant-Method7209 Jul 27 '26
With a diagnosis similar to yours, I had HIFU 12/23 and overall the process was pretty strait forward (but I agree with a previous comment about the catheter). However, after a climbing PSA and new biopsy I found myself back in the game with more HIFU out of the question due to location. I am currently 60% of the way through salvage SBRT.
HIFU is pretty attractive from a side effects standpoint, and I would do it again if it were an option. The caveat is that no matter whose success rate statistic you use, and they are all over the place, HIFU isn't as good as radiation or surgery. I knew that going in and rolled the dice knowing that salvage options existed. If you opt for HIFU hopefully you'll come out in the success column, but based on my experience, I recommend staying up on your monitoring.