Key Points
- An awareness event in London was attended by more than 50 guests.
- Professor Hashim Ahmed presented on advances in diagnosing and treating the disease, and a focused ultrasound patient shared his story.
The UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation (UKFUSF) played a key role in organizing a recent educational event in London to raise awareness of focused ultrasound as a treatment for prostate cancer. Held at a private members’ club, the invitation-only gathering welcomed around 50 attendees, including club members and their guests.
Professor Hashim Ahmed, chair of urology at Imperial College London, gave a presentation on advances in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer. Prof. Ahmed is a pioneer in the development and adoption of minimally invasive prostate treatment therapies, including especially high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).
Guests also heard a compelling personal account from a club member who underwent a successful HIFU treatment with Prof. Ahmed and remains in remission.
Among the guests were Miss Lucy Simmons, consultant urological surgeon at the Royal United Hospital (RUH) Bath; Mr. Chandran Tanabalan, consultant urological surgeon at Northampton General Hospital; and Charles Packshaw, former chairman of Prostate Cancer UK.
Both Prof. Ahmed and Miss Simmons currently treat patients with prostate cancer using the Sonablate HIFU device. In December 2023, UKFUSF partnered with the prostate cancer charity Prost8 to fund the Sonablate system at RUH Bath. The Foundation is also assisting in fundraising efforts to purchase a device for Northampton General Hospital, where Mr. Tanabalan will begin treating patients with HIFU.
Philip Keevil, UKFUSF chairman, remarked: “These awareness events are so important to the Foundation, as most men suffering from cancer of the prostate – and even many physicians – are unaware of focused ultrasound as a noninvasive treatment without the debilitating side effects of the standard of care that is surgical resection and/or radio therapy.”