This is a question we frequently hear from patients exploring less invasive options for prostate cancer.
Focal therapy is a targeted treatment approach. Instead of treating the entire organ (like with surgery or radiotherapy), it focuses only on the specific area where the cancer is located.
The goal is to treat the tumour effectively while preserving as much normal tissue as possible around the prostate gland.
The Benefits
- Lower risk of side effects (e.g. urinary or sexual dysfunction)
- Shorter recovery times
- A personalised, precision approach
Common techniques include:
- HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound)
- Cryotherapy
- Irreversible electroporation (e.g. Nanoknife)
However, focal therapy is not suitable for everyone. Careful patient selection, high-quality imaging (like MRI), and biopsy mapping are critical to achieving good outcomes.
For the right patient, focal therapy can offer a balance between cancer control and quality of life.
If you want to know if you’d be eligible, speak to an expert.