Focal therapy and prostate cancer
(PhysOrg.com) -- UCL researcher Hashim Uddin Ahmed is conducting a series of world-first trials into an alternative form of treatment for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in the UK, with conventional treatment for the disease causing many distressing sid effects.
Mr Ahmed is a Medical Research Council Clinical Research Fellow in the UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science. Results from the groundbreaking trials he has undertaken have shown that one-third of men with prostate cancer might benefit from high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).
The New England Journal of Medicine today published a commentary by Mr Ahmed about his work in this area. Mr Ahmed explains his research below.
“Prostate Cancer affects 500,000 men around the world every year. The incidence is increasing because we are detecting lower risk cancers in younger men at an earlier stage.
“Many of these men have treatment which gives them very little benefit in terms of life expectancy, but subjects them to considerable harm. One in two are impotent, one in ten need to wear pads because of urine leakage and one in ten have back passage problems.
“Prostate Cancer affects 500,000 men around the world every year. The incidence is increasing because we are detecting lower risk cancers in younger men at an earlier stage.
“Many of these men have treatment which gives them very little benefit in terms of life expectancy, but subjects them to considerable harm. One in two are impotent, one in ten need to wear pads because of urine leakage and one in ten have back passage problems.
More information: content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/361/17/1704
Provided by University College London (news : web)
