Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer: Time for Consensus?

What is it about?

The article discusses international guidelines, consensus statements, and position statements regarding focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa). FT aims to achieve oncological clearance of tumor while avoiding treatment complications and maintaining quality of life. The article highlights the need for long-term follow-up and robust clinical and toxicity endpoints in future clinical trials to improve our understanding of FT and create uniform guidelines. The article summarizes published consensus statements on FT and their evolution over time. The nomenclature and selection of energy sources are also discussed.

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Why is it important?

The research is important because it provides a summary and discussion of international guidelines, position statements, and consensus statements in relation to focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa). FT is a minimally invasive technique that aims to achieve the same oncological outcomes as radical treatment while sparing men from the potential side-effects of whole-gland therapy. The research highlights the current recommendations for FT and identifies areas that require further research to refine the technique and improve our understanding of FT. Key Takeaways: 1. FT is a group of minimally invasive techniques used to focally ablate an area of PCa while preserving the surrounding benign tissue. 2. The aims of FT are to achieve the same oncological outcomes as radical treatment while sparing men from the potential side-effects of whole-gland therapy. 3. Consensus statements have been published to guide practice and identify areas that require refinement through further research. 4. The selection of energy source, patient factors, and follow-up protocol are key factors to be considered in FT. 5. There is a need for well-designed prospective and comparative trials to fully assess the effectiveness of FT against standard of care treatment.