Exploring HIFU Prostate Cancer Treatment at AHN Saint Vincent

Prostate cancer care has come a long way in recent years, and the experts at AHN Cancer Institute are leading the way. As the first in the region to offer innovative treatments like high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technology, AHN is helping men access safer, more precise options for care.

If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the urology and oncology teams at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital can work with you to explore whether this minimally invasive, close-to-home treatment might be right for you.

What is HIFU for prostate cancer treatment?

HIFU is a targeted procedure that is done by inserting an ultrasound probe into your rectum and using targeted sound waves to heat and destroy cancer cells while preserving healthy tissue. It is less invasive than other treatments because doctors don’t have to make any cuts on your prostate or remove it.

Because of this, HIFU does not cause some side effects of traditional procedures, like erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, nerve damage, or damage to nearby organs.

Is HIFU right for you?

To see if HIFU is a good option for you, doctors at AHN Saint Vincent will check your body mass index (BMI), evaluate your heart health, and review any other health conditions you may have. They will also do imaging of your prostate to ensure the cancer is contained within the prostate.

After these tests, you and your doctors may decide HIFU is the right treatment option if you:

• Have early-stage prostate cancer that has not spread to other parts of your body.
• Want to keep your prostate and preserve your ability to have an erection.
• Had prostate cancer come back after trying other treatments, like radiation.

Your AHN Saint Vincent care team can walk you through how evaluation for HIFU works and answer any questions you have about the treatment.

What to expect with HIFU treatment 

Your care team will help you feel prepared and comfortable at each stage of HIFU treatment.

Before treatment

Your doctors will have you:

• Do an enema (insert liquid into your anus) the day before surgery to clean out your bowels.
• Take an antibiotic the night before the procedure, if needed.
• Drink clear liquids and avoid food for several hours before the procedure.

During treatment

The surgery team will:

• Give you anesthesia so you don’t feel pain.
• Send ultrasound waves to your prostate to kill the cancer cells.
• Look at images of your prostate in real time to monitor the procedure’s effectiveness in destroying cancer cells.

The procedure will last one to three hours, and many patients go home the same day.

After treatment

Your doctors will talk with you about at-home recovery, including:

• Using a catheter (thin tube placed in your urethra) to go to the bathroom for up to 10 days.
• Not lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds for two weeks. 
• Taking medicine to help with any pain or discomfort. 

Your care team will talk with you about side effects, like needing to urinate more often or feeling tired, and review any medicines that can help. They may also schedule follow-up tests to make sure the treatment removed all the cancer.

After the catheter is removed and you start getting back to your regular routine, doctors at AHN Saint Vincent will keep checking on your recovery. They will follow up every few months to see how you are healing.

Committed to your care and recovery

AHN Saint Vincent Hospital has prostate cancer treatment options that can help you recover faster and get back to living your life. Learn more about HIFU treatment and what to expect from the procedure.