Dr. Basralian on the current state of focal therapy in prostate cancer

In this interview, Kevin R. Basralian, MD, discusses the current state of focal therapy in prostate cancer in terms of the types of therapies and how they are commonly used. Basralian is a senior attending and the director of diagnostic and focal cancer therapies at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Video Transcript:

Focal therapy has had a new beginning because of the new diagnostic procedures we have, such as more accurate MRIs called DynaCAD, where we can accurately localize cancer to the prostate. We could also map the rest of the prostate and see where there are no cancers. So, before, we wouldn’t know, and we did whole gland therapy. Now, we know that the cancer’s localized to 1 area. We can use ultrasound technology, which is called high intensity focused ultrasound using a system called Focal One, or we can use other therapies such as cryoablation, or IRE. These allow us to treat just those areas of cancer, maintaining much better preservation of sexual function and less incontinence. This is one of the benefits that even helps the lower socioeconomic class, where before they didn’t opportunities. If you were 60 years old and had good sexual function and 1 area of cancer, you would be treated with whole gland therapy and have higher complications potentially. With focal therapy, you should have less complications. Long-term studies are being run right now. We’re doing investigative research here at Hackensack.

This transcription has been edited for clarity.