Walter Reed Army Medical Center offers HIFU for Qualifying Men with Locally Recurrent Prostate Cancer in a Phase III Clin...( CHARLOTTE N.C. March 16 /- Walter Ree...),Health

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Walter Reed Army Medical Center is the latest institution to be added to a number of academic centers involved in a clinical trial that is investigating the safety and efficacy of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) using the Sonablate(R) 500 for the treatment of locally recurrent prostate cancer following failed external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).

The technology of using HIFU with the Sonablate is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that uses a transrectal probe to focus ultrasound energy resulting in a therapeutic rise in heat within the prostate. This results in the focal destruction of prostatic tissue. High Intensity Focused Ultrasound does not use radiation and is non surgical. In a small U.S. safety trial, 91 percent of the participants treated in the study had a negative biopsy at six months.

Some men with prostate cancer who are treated with radiation therapy have a return of their cancer as determined by a rise in their Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Many of these men have few alternatives other than hormone therapy. According to the American Cancer Society, possible side effects of hormone therapy include osteoporosis, anemia, loss of muscle mass, depression, and decreased mental acuity.

The principal investigators at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in this study are: MAJ(P) Steven R. Brassell, M.D., and COL David G. McLeod (Ret), M.D., JD.

At this time, eligible participants for the trial must be between the ages of 40 and 80, and have biopsy confirmed local recurrence two or more years following external beam radiation failure. Other selection criteria are applicable for trial entry as well. Patients treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center must be military beneficiaries.

"We are pleased to announce the addition of Walter Reed as one of our clinical trial sites. Dr. McLeod has been followi
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