University Hospitals of Northamptonshire launch pioneering Focal Therapy Service for prostate cancer

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire launch pioneering Focal Therapy Service for prostate cancer.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire is setting up the first NHS Focal Therapy Service for the Midlands and will start by delivering a pioneering new soundwave treatment for prostate cancer.

The service - formally launched at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) tomorrow (Friday, April 25) – follows a fundraising campaign launched last July which has resulted in significant private donations to the Northamptonshire Health Charity (NHC).

This has enabled the purchase of a High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) machine and other focal therapy equipment for the hospital.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire - the organisation which runs both NGH and Kettering General Hospital and which works in partnership with the University Hospitals of Leicester– aims to become a regional centre for Focal Therapy which treats prostate cancers without surgery and its potential side effects.

The initial focal therapy to be offered at Northampton General Hospital will use high frequency soundwaves (HIFU) to treat cancer.

Other focal therapy equipment being purchased as part of setting up the new service includes using electricity (irreversible electroporation – also known as NanoKnife) and extreme cold (Cryotherapy). An MRI-fusion prostate biopsy machine capable of performing more accurate prostate cancer diagnosis is also planned.

With this range of focal therapy capability NGH will be one of the best equipped NHS Hospitals for the treatment of prostate cancer in the country.

UHN Associate Medical Director Mr Chandran Tanabalan, who is also a consultant urologist and robotic assisted surgery lead, said: “The first treatments we will offer patients will be High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). HIFU is a non-invasive treatment that uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy cancerous tissue precisely.

“A beam of ultrasound energy travels into the prostate from a probe put into the back passage (rectum) and the high frequency sound waves are focused on the cancerous area after we have determined exactly where that is by ultrasound and MRI imaging.

“The targeted tissue is then heated to a temperature that destroys the cancer cells. Each procedure takes about 60-90 minutes and is usually performed as a day case operation with the person returning home the same day.

“Focal Therapy offers significant advantages over surgery and radiotherapy treatments as it treats just the part of the prostate affected by cancer.

“This leads to lower risks of long-term side effects like erectile dysfunction and incontinence, faster recovery times, and better quality of life post procedure that can be associated with radical surgery or radiotherapy.

“It is most suitable for patients with localised, low-to-intermediate-risk prostate cancer, particularly those with a single, clearly defined lesion.

“We are very excited to be delivering this treatment for the first time for NHS patients in the Midlands and we hope, with public support through the Northamptonshire Health Charity, to further expand our services for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in the future.”

The fundraising campaign has received donations of more than £400,000 and is set to achieve its target of £450,000 to establish the service.

There are about 1,000 men each year diagnosed with prostate cancer in Northamptonshire alone and focal therapy could be an option for about 200 of them. The service, once fully established, will be available to some suitable patients throughout the East Midlands.

The first patients will be offered focal therapy treatment in coming weeks and it is hoped the service will be fully established with all the equipment in place by the Summer.

Northamptonshire Health Charity focal therapy fundraising campaign chair Maurice Thompson said: “Focal therapy provides a third treatment option for men diagnosed with prostate cancer beyond surgery and radiotherapy.

“It offers minimally-invasive, effective day care treatment that is less likely to have the permanent physical side effects of surgery and radiotherapy. It is much less expensive to implement on an upfront and ongoing basis than conventional treatments.

“Prior to this campaign focal therapy was not available to prostate cancer patients in the East Midlands. It is now available at Northampton General Hospital through the NHS. It can potentially help up to one third of patients needing treatment, particularly if the cancer is in its early stages.

“The campaign will equip NGH with a range of focal therapy and MRI-fusion guided prostate biopsy equipment for improved treatment of prostate cancer.

“Support for the campaign from the local community has been widespread and generous, recognising the need to raise awareness amongst men of the importance of PSA testing and contributing to fund the campaign.

“We are grateful to the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, Patron of the Campaign, for his encouragement and support throughout. Other supporters include The UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation, The High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, The Members of Parliament for Northampton North and Northampton South, Kettering General, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General and Glenfield Hospitals, Friends of

Danetre Hospital, North and West Northamptonshire Councils, University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire Freemasons as well as financial support from many private donors.”

The Chief Executive of the Northamptonshire Health Charity, Jonathan McGee, said: “During the initial fundraising for the campaign I too was diagnosed with prostate cancer. This gave me a valuable personal perspective on the importance of this appeal. And although I am quite ‘young’ for a diagnosis it shows the importance of screening. I'm fortunate that for me it's 'watch and wait' so I may never need treatment.

“However, it is good to know that there are innovations such as HIFU and other forms of Focal Therapy that can minimise the need to use radical surgery and radiotherapy to treat prostate cancer, now the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men in the UK.”

The Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, James Saunders-Watson, Patron of the fundraising campaign, said: “Following on from the Maggie’s Centre for cancer support being built at Northampton General Hospital it is terrific to see the hospital also pioneering oncological innovation in men’s health with the introduction of focal therapy equipment for the treatment of prostate cancer within the NHS.”

UHN Chief Executive Laura Churchward said: “Development of these new technologies will undoubtedly start to change the way we deal with prostate cancer in the future. We very much want the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire to be front-runners in this exciting field with so many potential benefits for our prostate cancer patients.

“While Focal Therapy may not be suitable for every prostate cancer case they will help to offer a very precise and less invasive treatment for some patients. It will help them get on with their lives with fewer of the difficult side effects and complications associated with conventional treatments.”

Paul Sayer, founder of the national charity Prost8 UK, said: "The launch of this state-of-the-art HIFU unit at NGH is a significant milestone for men in the Midlands who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prost8 UK has long championed HIFU as a non-invasive treatment for low to medium-grade prostate cancer, helping men avoid the life-altering side effects of more aggressive therapies.

"We’re thrilled to see the NHS embracing this technology, with Northampton General Hospital leading the way. We will be actively referring patients to the HIFU unit, playing a key role in expanding access to this innovative treatment, in partnership with the Northamptonshire Health Charity. At Prost8 UK, our goal is to see more HIFU units like this established across the country, to improve patient care and preserve quality of life for those affected by prostate cancer."

To support Northamptonshire Health Charity in improving prostate cancer care you can contact them via their website https://nhcharity.co.uk phone 01604-626927 or email greenheart@nhcf.co.uk