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17 May 2010 HIFU procedure awaiting approval in USThis new treatment is called High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). Basically, the procedure uses heat to pinpoint and kill prostate cancer as successfully as traditional methods, but without the side effects. A prostate cancer patient describes the procedure in very simple words. They just go zip, zip, zip, and it burns it up from the inside and there's no cutting, there's no bleeding, there's no other effect. And the prostate and cancer in it just shrinks down and are reabsorbed by the body. However, the hifu prostate cancer treatment has not been approved in the United States, that means its $25,000 price tag is not covered by insurance. Dr. Robert Doebler, of Valley Urological Associates informs that there are trials going in New York right now and urologists hope the HIFU procedure will be approved in the United States in the next two to three years. Unfortunately, that is a long time for people who today have clinically localized prostate cancer for whom urologists believe treatment is available. Dr Doebler and his team are trained to do it, are ready to do it. They are interested in seeing prostate cancer patients who are interested in doing it. Then they will take them to the Bahamas and do the procedure. The procedure usually takes about two hours and patients are required to wear a catheter for 14 days. Follow-up care after the procedure is covered by insurance in the U.S. NOTE: Issues on this site regarding prostate cancer and treatment options, are provided for information only, and are not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional. Prostate-Report.org does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment. |
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