HIFU

Builder23
Builder23 Member Posts: 29
in Prostate Cancer #1

Has anyone heard about High Intensity Focused ultrasound for the treatment T-1 or T-2 pc.?  It is not approved by the FDA in the USA but is used in Europe and canada.

They claim it is very effective and has little to no side effects. It can be repeated and used even after other treatments have been used. The Cleveland clinic of Toronto uses the new and improved Ablatherm HIFU.

I contacted them and discussed the procedure and the cost since my insurance will not pay for it.  They told me $23,800 for treatment and they pay for the hotel stay for two days, but the meals are at your expense.

Just passing this along in case anyone is interested.

 

Builder23

Comments

  • Builder23
    Builder23 Member Posts: 29
    #2
    HIFU

    This may help.

     

    Http://www.hifu.ca/cleveland-clinic-canada-maple-leaf-hifu.htm

     

  • Kinshasa
    Kinshasa Member Posts: 2
    #3
    Did HIFU december 2012 In

    Did HIFU december 2012 In Antwerp Belgium. Preopeatioin. I had psa 19, gleason 4 + 3. After HIFU, after 1 month psa to 1.7. However after 3 months back up to 3.7. In scan they found some cancer cells still but could not find them with biopsy. So last September went for radical treatment: radical prostatectomy. Now PSA < 0.04. So i am quite happy i went for RP. Would i do HIFU first again if i would have the chance. Yes, why not. Less risk for incontinency and impotency. And indeed having first HIFU does not prevent you from having RP afterwards. I did have to push the urologist to do the operation because he was afraid of the complexity after having done HIFU on my prostate. Operation was open RP for more than 2 hours in Leuven belgium. Now no incontency problems at all but still working on impotency. 

  • Swingshiftworker
    Swingshiftworker Member Posts: 1,017 Member
    #4
    Check on HIFU Failure Rates

    As mentioned, the main problem w/HIFU is that it is not covered by insurance and isn't even performed in the US.  When I looked into it several years ago, doctors in NY and FL were offering to do it in Canada, Mexico or somewhere in the Carribean.

    Don't have the references at hand but, as I also recall, there were some studies (or at least some reports) that suggest that the degree of treatment FAILURE with HIFU is significantly greater than with other methods of treatment. 

    Anyone who is seriously interested in HIFU as an alternative should make the effort to find these studies/reports before making any commitment to travel and pay for HIFU treatment out of pocket.

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