December 2023, United Kingdom – The UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation (UKFUSF) recently collaborated with prostate cancer charity Prost8 to offer a breakthrough noninvasive treatment for men with prostate cancer in the UK.
High-Intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) uses high frequency sound waves guided by real-time imaging to treat tissue (destroy tumours) deep in the body without incisions or radiation. Patients with prostate cancer can be treated in one day and return to normal activities within two weeks, while experiencing similar success rates and fewer side effects than those undergoing more invasive procedures.
The new focused ultrasound unit at Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath is a milestone for prostate cancer in Britain; previously, HIFU has only been available in the UK at specialist centres in London and surrounding areas.
UKFUSF collaborated with Prost8 to fund the new unit, underscoring a collective commitment to advancing prostate cancer care and redefining the treatment landscape across the UK.
Philip Keevil, Chairman of the UKFUSF, said: “HIFU is just one form of focused ultrasound – a noninvasive therapeutic medical technology that is transforming the treatment of a number of medical disorders including many cancers and diseases of the brain. The sole raison d’être of UKFUSF is to provide patients in the UK with this life changing treatment option with minimal side effects in the shortest time possible.”
The programme in Bath is led by Lucy Simmons, a consultant urological surgeon with extensive expertise in prostate cancer diagnostics and active surveillance. Miss Simmons said: “The addition of HIFU therapy to our treatment options in Bath is a valuable complement to our robotic program and other available treatments for prostate cancer. This makes RUH a true centre of excellence for prostate cancer treatment at all levels. Men who are eligible in the local area and south west region will now have improved accessibility to HIFU, a treatment that minimises some of the adverse side effects associated with some other prostate cancer treatments.”
Training and support for the new deployment has been provided by eminent urologist Professor Hashim Ahmed of Imperial College London, a pioneer in bringing focal treatment for prostate cancer to the UK and who also treated Paul Sayer, founder of Prost8.
Said Mr. Sayer, “At last, men in the South West of England, and then in other parts of the UK, with a lower grade, treatable prostate cancer diagnosis will be saved from receiving the same essential but aggressive treatments as those given to men with advanced cancer. I am driven to help as I myself am now five years clear and my functionality is unchanged from before the procedure.”
Around 52,000 men are affected by prostate cancer each year in the UK and about 12,000 of those could enjoy better outcomes in terms of urinary, bowel, and sexual function if treated with noninvasive HIFU.
Focused Ultrasound in the UK
There are currently more than 30 focused ultrasound indications in various stages of development in the UK, and more than 170 across the globe. Thirty-two have regulatory approval worldwide, and 13 have achieved CE Marking in the UK. Clinicians and researchers in the UK were among the early adopters of the technology and have championed its use for many disorders. There are currently 16 research sites, 23 clinical sites, two Focused Ultrasound Centers of Excellence, and four focused ultrasound manufacturers located in the UK.
About UKFUSF
Inspired by the success of the US-based Focused Ultrasound Foundation over the past 17 years, the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation was launched to help provide patients with noninvasive, life-changing focused ultrasound treatment option in the shortest time possible. UKFUSF contributes financial and human resources to foster collaboration, to build knowledge and to streamline the process and overcome barriers.
UKFUSF is on the leading edge of the venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship movements and has become a model of how donor funding can be used to bridge the gap between laboratory research and widespread patient treatment. The organisation offers UK based taxpayers the opportunity to contribute to improve the lives of millions of people with serious medical disorders by accelerating the development and adoption of focused ultrasound and support the sprawling research community in the field specifically in the UK.
Additional Coverage
RUH Performs the First HIFU Non-Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatment in the South West | RUH Bath
First Funded Unit at RUH Bath | Prost8
A Breakthrough Prostate Cancer Treatment is Being Rolled out Nationwide on the NHS | The Mirror
Breakthrough Prostate Cancer Treatment that Destroys Tumours is now Available on NHS | The Sun