Prostate Cancer
A1Med is always seeking the best new treatments for prostate cancer as well as outstanding treatment centres to which international patients can apply. Some of the treatments and technologies may not already be well known in some countries so we are pleased to provide an introduction here.
CyberKnife® Radiosurgery
A1Med currently features the following centres for CyberKnife treatment of prostate cancer
For more information visit the specialist web site www.cyberknifeservice.com. You will find details of CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer with links for additional information and there is also a free On-Line Enquiry Form.
Munich, Germany
Zurich, Switzerland
Athens, Greece
Bangalore, India
Robotic Surgery
A number of hospitals around the world now use the da Vinci® 'robotic' surgery system to assist surgeons in conducting precisely controlled, minimally invasive surgery for a range of conditions, including prostate cancer.
'Telemanipulation' would be a more accurate term, as this system transfers the hand movements of the surgeon to the instruments that have been inserted through small incisions in the abdomen.
Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy takes various forms and involves bringing the source of radiation into direct contact with the tumour to be treated. It represents the most conservative form of radiotherapy, generally making it possible to preserve both functions and organs. This is often the only way of applying the radiation dose that is required to totally destroy a malignant tumour.
Seed-Implantation (Low-dose-rate = LDR)
Afterloading (High-dose-rate = (HDR)
The physicist determines the number of radiation sources required (seeds, which are iodine particles 0.5cm in length) during an ultrasound examination. These seeds are then inserted in hollow needles under a full anaesthetic. In the post-planning phase, a precise assessment of the seeds’ location is again carried out. The seeds are now left in place permanently. Half of the radiation dose has been applied after a good 20 days.
Under this temporary afterloading implantation with iridium 192, applicators in the form of metal or plastic needles or tubes are inserted into the tissue to be treated (tumour) and fixed after the usual radiation plan has been calculated and the optimum positioning of the radioactive source determined.
Then the afterloading device is attached. The radioactive isotope is kept in the device’s storage safe. It sits at the end of wire which now travels into the applicator where it remains for a period calculated in advance (generally only a few minutes). Then the wire withdraws back into the storage safe, and the patient is mobile again until the next session.
The skill of the individual surgeon is still paramount therefore and he controls the movements via a three-dimensional view with a one to ten times magnification.
A1Med currently features the following centres for da Vinci® robotic surgery for prostate cancer, amongst other options.
Zurich, Switzerland
Hamburg, Germany
Munich, Germany
A1Med currently features the following centres providing proton therapy for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common applications of proton therapy, reducing the risk of incontinence and loss of virility sometimes associated with radiotherapy, and it can sometimes be applied to stubborn tumours even after the patient has received the maximum conventional radiotherapy.
Proton therapy can be applied wherever conventional radiotherapy can be used, but because the radiation is more closely focussed on the tumour(s) it greatly reduces the impact of radiation on sound tissue. It can also reduce distressing side effects which are often associated with radiotherapy for certain types of cancer.
Proton therapy for prostate cancer
Surgical removal of the prostate, known as radical retropubic prostatectomy, can be performed manually in the conventional way or as minimally invasive surgery with the da Vinci® 'robotic' surgical system.
There have been many advances on conventional radiotherapy in recent years, particularly in the introduction of image guided treatments, and there are many competing proprietary technologies. We list here a few of these that are in use at the advanced treatment centres today on the radiation therapies page.
External radiotherapy
High Intensity Focussed Ultrasound (HIFU)
HIFU is an option for early stage prostate cancer and may be used to treat part of the gland only, where the tumour or tumours are all on the same side, or to treat the whole organ.
Rather than using radio waves, HIFU uses precision focussed ultrasound waves to locally heat the target area and destroy the tumour.
Medical Oncology
Depending upon the age and condition of the patient, not all cancers need to be treated immediately. Treatment may be avoided or delayed by the use of hormomal therapy. Testosterone has a marked effect on the development of prostate cancer, so this may be reduced my medication.
Drug based therapies may also be used to attack the tumour(s), either as a stand-alone treatment or as a prelude to radiotherapy or radiosurgery.
Radiosurgery uses radiation beams of much higher power and greater precision than radiotherapy, with the result that treatments can be reduced to as little as a single session of 45-90 minutes for some conditions. Others may need to spread over a few days but rarely more than 3-5 days.
The leading system of radiosurgery is CyberKnife. CyberKnife is not suitable for all tumours but it can be the only form of treatment available for complex tumours in sensitive locations and it may offer an alternative to conventional radiotherapy or to open surgery.
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Important note to all patients
We provide enquiry forms or other contact details for the treatment or diagnotic centres featured and these centres will be pleased to answer your questions about services and costs.
PPM Consult Ltd. promotes selected clinics and certain specialities within individual hospitals inassociation with Medilux Healthcare Ltd. (MHL), where we believe the standards of care or medical equipment to be exceptional. We provide you with general information but we cannot advise or enter into correspondence about individual cases and we do not arrange or facilitate treatments. We shall not be responsible for the outcome of any treatment or failure to diagnose or treat and we recommend that all patients obtain professional medical advice on their proposed treatments.