The UroCenter, a partnership between Baptist Memorial Health Care and the physicians at the UroCenter, is the first site in the nation approved by the Food and Drug Administration for a Phase III clinical study to test a noninvasive therapy that uses ultrasound technology to treat localized prostate cancer. The therapy, known as high intensity focused ultrasound, uses ultrasound energy to capture a live image of the prostate and destroy the cancerous tissue with focused sound waves. The ultrasound device, the Sonablate(R) 500, elevates tissue temperature to more than 195 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds, destroying the diseased tissue without damaging the surrounding tissue. Doctors perform this treatment on an outpatient basis, and international studies suggest a substantial reduction in side effectsterm, such as impotence and incontinence-common with traditional treatments such as surgery, radiation and cryotherapyterm. In addition, the chance for cancer recurrence is minimized because the therapy treats the entire prostate gland. Phase III is the last stage before a product or treatment receives FDA approval. The UroCenter is the first site in the nation approved by the FDA to participate in the trial, which patients can enroll in immediately.
"Our goal is to give patients as many treatment options as possible, said Dr. Walter Rayford, principal investigator and urologist at the UroCenter. "With HIFU, patients receive leading-edge care while maintaining the highest quality of life possible." Gordon Lintz, administrator of the Baptist Centers for Cancer Care said, "Offering patients this new therapy represents our strong commitment to providing a whole new level of cancer care to the Mid-South." Eligible participants for the trial must be between the ages of 40 and 75, have biopsy confirmed, confined prostate cancer with a prostate specific antigen of less than or equal to 10 and a Gleason score of less and or equal to six. Patients wishing to enroll in the trial must also have a prostate volume of less than 40 cc. For more information about enrolling in this trial, please call the UroCenter at 901-747-3370.
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