A New Horizon in Men's Oncology

Prostate cancer, one of the most common tumors in men, is facing a paradigm shift thanks to focal therapy, a technique that destroys only the tumor tissue without removing the entire gland.

The Study That Changes History

Researchers from Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust have presented encouraging results after following 3,477 patients in the United Kingdom for ten years. The study, published in the journal European Urology, analyzed cases treated between 2004 and 2024 across 14 hospitals.

What Is Focal Therapy and How Does It Work?

Focal therapy is a minimally invasive approach comparable to the evolution of breast cancer treatment, where aggressive surgeries gave way to preserving healthy tissue. It uses technologies such as:

• HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound): Uses extreme heat to destroy the tumor.
• Cryotherapy: Uses extreme cold to freeze and eliminate cancerous tissue.
• Microwaves (TMA): Used in Argentina, guided by real-time ultrasound.

This approach is aimed at patients with small, localized tumors (intermediate or high risk), a group that represents between 30% and 40% of annual diagnoses.

Fewer Side Effects, Better Quality of Life

The main advantage of this therapy is that it reduces the risk of urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and rectal problems by up to five times compared to radical prostatectomy or traditional radiotherapy. By preserving healthy prostate tissue, urinary and sexual functions remain much more intact.

Implementation in Argentina

In Argentina, a South American country where between 11,000 and 12,800 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year, this therapy is already a reality. During the international congress UROVIVO 2025, held at the Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín in Buenos Aires, the TMA microwave-based technique was presented.

According to Dr. Norberto Bernardo, head of Urology at the Hospital de Clínicas, the procedure is performed under sedation, lasts about an hour, and the patient stays in the hospital for two to four hours, allowing for a quick recovery.

Specialists like Dr. Ezequiel Becher and Dr. Marcelo Borghi agree that the international evidence strengthens the acceptance of this alternative, which has gone from being a future proposal to a present and concrete option for Argentine patients.