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For cancers present in a small area of the prostate, our doctors may perform focal therapy to eliminate the cancer while sparing the rest of the prostate. This approach minimizes side effects associated with removing the prostate, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. It also has fewer complications in general, preserving more function of the prostate gland.

Our doctors may recommend focal therapy when diagnostic tests show that it is likely to be an effective treatment, cancer is limited to a small portion of the prostate, or prostate cancer reoccurs after radiation therapy.

Focal therapy is typically performed as a one-to-two-hour outpatient procedure, using general anesthesia.

Doctors at NYU Langone can help weigh the risks and benefits of each treatment option. Our team works with you to develop a treatment plan, monitoring your progress at regular intervals to ensure the cancer has not returned after completing treatment.

Cryotherapy for Prostate �鶹��Ƶapp

Cryotherapy is the most common form of focal therapy we use at NYU Langone. This approach involves the controlled freezing and thawing of the prostate gland to destroy cancerous cells and other cells in the targeted area.

During cryotherapy ablation, doctors insert thin needles, called cryoprobes, into the prostate. These devices freeze prostate tissue, monitor temperature in and around the area, and destroy cancer cells by releasing argon gas. Doctors use ultrasound technology to guide the probes and protect the rectum, bladder, sphincter, nerves, and surrounding veins from damage.

Patients may experience soreness and bruising at the site of insertion, or blood in the urine for several days after treatment is completed. Incontinence after cryoablation is an extremely rare side effect, and sexual function is often preserved.

Before treatment, doctors insert a catheter into the urethra to divert urine out of the body during and after the procedure. Once the catheter is removed, typically a few days after treatment, patients can resume normal activities, including sexual activity.

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for Prostate �鶹��Ƶapp

During high-intensity, focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, specialists apply sound wave energy directly to the tumor, using ultrasound technology to guide and target treatment. By using computer software and prior MRI scans to determine how much ablation is needed, doctors can destroy cancerous tissue while preserving surrounding healthy structures.��

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Before HIFU treatment, doctors insert a catheter into the urethra to divert urine out of the body. Once the prostate has healed, usually a few days after treatment, you can return to normal activities, including sexual activity.

Whole-gland ablation treats prostate cancer by destroying the entire prostate gland. Because whole-gland ablation does not treat cancer as reliably as surgery, our specialists do not often recommend this treatment option. However, they may recommend it when radiation therapy fails to eliminate prostate cancer. It may also be used as a first-time treatment alternative to surgery when the tumor is localized to the prostate.

In this procedure, sometimes called cryoablation, a surgeon inserts several cryoprobes into the prostate. These control the delivery of argon gas that freezes the prostate tissue. A specialist may insert a catheter into the urethra to divert urine out of the body and allow the prostate to heal after the procedure.

The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and typically lasts two hours. Patients can expect to go home the same day. A doctor removes the catheter about a week later.

Cryoablation side effects may include discharge from the urethra, swelling of the scrotum, pain or burning during urination, and fatigue. These generally disappear within weeks. Long-term side effects may include urethral strictures—a condition in which scar tissue in the urethra blocks the flow of urine—and erectile dysfunction.