Ultrasound is kinder prostate cancer treatment

February 17, 2004

12:32 16 February 04 NewScientist.com news service

Focused pulses of ultrasound can eradicate prostate cancer as effectively as

cutting the tumour out with surgery, but with far fewer side effects.

This conclusion comes from the most comprehensive study of the technique to

date, carried out by Jean-Yves Chapelon, of the French Institute of Health and

Medical Research in Paris, and colleagues. Prostate cancer is the third most

common cause of cancer death among men.

" The results are very exciting, " said Gail ter Harr, who is studying ultrasound

as a means of treating liver cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, UK.

" It is by far the most advanced area of clinical trials. "

The researchers conducted a trial involving 243 prostate cancer patients at a

hospital in Lyon. They found that a few seconds of concentrated ultrasound could

obliterate a tumour, but without having to cut into the body. In contrast,

surgery caused much more collateral damage.

Half as many

Surgery for prostate cancer involves removing the entire prostate, but impotency

and incontinence are common consequences of this treatment.

Chapelon says ultrasound was 80 per cent successful at eradicating the cancer

from the patients in the trials, a similar rate to surgery. But, impotence was

seen in 40 per cent of cases, about half as many as with surgery. Furthermore,

incontinence was seen reported in just eight per cent of patients after their

treatment, a threefold decrease.

Chapelon says the ultrasound treatment leaves nerves untouched, while surgery

almost always cuts through them. " If we take care to spare the nerves, we can

maintain potency, " he says.

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