Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the prostate gland, which is a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces seminal fluid. It is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and the fourth most common cancer overall. Prostate cancer is usually slow-growing and may not cause any symptoms at first, but as cancer grows or spreads, it can cause problems with urination, sexual function, and other issues. While the causes of prostate cancer are not fully understood, risk factors include age, family history, and certain genetic mutations.
Early detection through screening and treatment can improve the chances of successful outcomes for those diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is often treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or other therapies. One such therapy is called focal ablative irreversible electroporation (IRE), which treats only the area of the tumor to achieve oncological control while reducing treatment-related functional decline.
Clinical trial
A randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of focal vs extended IRE on early oncological control for patients with localized low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The study involved 106 patients who were randomly assigned to receive either focal or extended IRE ablation. Data was collected at baseline and at regular intervals after the procedure from June 2015 to January 2020, and data were analyzed from September 2021 to July 2022.
The main thing the researchers wanted to know was if the treatment was good at stopping the cancer from growing back. They checked for cancer again 6 months after the treatment, and they found that there wasn't much difference between the two groups in how well the treatment worked.