High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for prostate cancer
Writer: Staff
Source: Cancer Research UK
HIFU, or High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, is a non-invasive or minimally invasive medical procedure that uses high-intensity ultrasound waves to heat and destroy targeted tissues.
HIFU is a treatment that uses high frequency sound waves to destroy prostate cancer cells. The waves create heat that destroys the cancer cells.
You might have HIFU for prostate cancer that hasn’t spread outside the prostate or that has come back in the prostate after treatment. It is only available in specific centres in the UK or as part of a clinical trial.
What is HIFU?
HIFU stands for high intensity focused ultrasound. It is a treatment that uses high frequency sound waves.
You have HIFU from a machine. The machine gives off sound waves. These deliver a strong beam to the cancer. This heats up and destroys the prostate cancer cells.
You might have HIFU treatment to either:
• the whole prostate gland - this is whole prostate HIFU
• specific areas of the prostate gland - this is focal HIFU
Who can have HIFU?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation. It provides guidance to the NHS and develops recommendations about treatment. NICE recommends HIFU for prostate cancer only in specific centres or as part of clinical trials.
Your doctor might recommend HIFU if your cancer:
• is contained inside the prostate gland - this is localised prostate cancer
• is just breaking through the covering of the prostate - this is locally advanced prostate cancer
• has come back after earlier treatment - this is salvage treatment
You can’t have HIFU if your cancer has spread to other parts of your body. This is metastatic or advanced prostate cancer.
Before your treatment
Check your appointment letter for any specific ways to prepare for HIFU.
You have HIFU treatment at the hospital as an outpatient. This means you can usually leave on the same day that you have HIFU. Your doctor asks you to sign a consent form to say that you agree to have the treatment. This is a good time to ask all the questions that you have.
You might have an MRI scan before the treatment. This is to find the exact position of the cancer so doctors can plan your treatment.
You have an enema to empty your bowels. Or you take a laxative drink.
You have this treatment under general anaesthetic . You usually need to stop eating for 6 hours before the procedure but can still drink fluids. You stop drinking 4 hours beforehand.
You change into a hospital gown before the procedure.
During HIFU
You have HIFU in the operating theatre under general anaesthetic. This means that you are asleep and won’t feel anything. You have a small tube (cannula) in a vein in the back of your hand.
Your surgeon puts a thin tube into your bladder through your urethra. The tube drains your urine. It is called a urinary catheter.
Your surgeon puts a HIFU probe into your back passage (rectum). This probe gives out high intensity ultrasound waves that can destroy the cancer cells in your prostate. The high intensity ultrasound waves travel through the back passage to the prostate.
The probe also works as an ultrasound and makes a picture on a screen. This shows your surgeon where they need to target. They move the HIFU probe around to treat all of the cancer cells.
After your treatment
When you have recovered from the anaesthetic you can go home, usually on the same day. You won’t be able to drive home after the general anaesthetic. This is because it takes some time for the anaesthetic to wear off.
You might have a catheter for up to a week to drain urine. If you go home with a catheter your nurse will teach you how to care for it. They will arrange for someone to remove it.
