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High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (Sonablate®) for Prostate Cancer: Preliminary Outcomes in Taiwan

  • Urologic Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

We reported preliminary outcomes of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) [Sonablate®] in the combination of transurethral resection of the prostate for localized prostate cancer in Taiwan.

Methods

Seventy-seven patients using Sonablate® HIFU for localized prostate cancer were enrolled in this study from April 2021 to December 2022. Prostate-specific antigen biochemical recurrence, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 scores, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) scores, and postoperative complications were recorded during follow-up.

Results

Overall, 19.5% of patients were low-risk, 36.4% were intermediate-risk, and 44.1% were high-risk according to the D’Amico risk classification. The median follow-up was 12.09 ± 5.85 months, and the biochemical-free survival rates for the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were 100% (15/15), 96.4% (27/28), and 79.4% (27/34), respectively. Four patients (5.2%) received salvage radiotherapy and all maintained biochemical-free survival. The mean IPSS and QoL scores before versus after HIFU were 10.4 versus 6.8 (p = 0.003) and 3.2 versus 3.0 (p = 0.096), respectively. There was no statistically significant change in preoperative and postoperative IIEF scores (20.6 vs. 19; p = 0.062) in patients who had an IIEF score of >15 at baseline and received nerve-sparing procedures (subtotal ablation).

Conclusions

The results of Sonablate® HIFU in Taiwan indicated adequate short-term cancer control, excellent potency, and continence preservation. HIFU can achieve improvement of IPSS with low complication rates.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Chin Pei Medical Foundation.

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Author notes

  1. Mu Yao Tsai, Chih Tai Lin, and Ping Hsuan Chiang contributed equally to this article as co-authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Mu Yao Tsai MD & Ping Chia Chiang MD

  2. Department of Internal Education, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Chih Tai Lin MD & Ping Hsuan Chiang MD

  3. Department of Urology, Jhong Siao Urological Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Po Hui Chiang MD, PhD, EMS

Authors
  1. Mu Yao Tsai MD
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  2. Chih Tai Lin MD
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  4. Po Hui Chiang MD, PhD, EMS
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  5. Ping Chia Chiang MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping Chia Chiang MD.

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Mu Yao Tsai, Chih Tai Lin, Ping Hsuan Chiang, Po Hui Chiang, and Ping Chia Chiang have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Tsai, M.Y., Lin, C.T., Chiang, P.H. et al. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (Sonablate®) for Prostate Cancer: Preliminary Outcomes in Taiwan. Ann Surg Oncol 30, 8764–8769 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-023-14250-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-023-14250-4

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