Prospective Clinical Safety and Efficacy Study of Lesion-targeted MRI-TULSA for Localized Prostate Cancer

Overview

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has improved detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa). MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (MRI-TULSA) system incorporates precise diagnosis and simultaneous ablation of prostate tissue enabling lesion-targeted treatment of PCa. Lesion-based treatment strategy spares surrounding healthy tissues from injury, which may improve the outcome of genitourinary function. This study further investigates the safety and the efficacy of lesion-targeted ablation of MRI-visible biopsy-proven PCa with MRI-TULSA.

Improving diagnostic methods and screening of men with prostate specific antigen (PSA) has led to earlier detection of prostate cancer (PCa) with more favorable disease characteristics. To decrease overtreatment, low risk cases are increasingly treated with active surveillance; nevertheless some of them progress requiring interventions. Intermediate- and high-risk cases need active treatments to improve survival. However, despite desirable local control, the standard therapies including radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy, carry a risk of treatment related adverse effects to genitourinary and bowel functions. There is an eminent need for efficient PCa therapies with minimal effect on genitourinary function and quality of life. To date most studied mini-invasive technologies have used extremities of temperatures to treat PCa including high intensity focused ultrasound and cryoablation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has improved PCa diagnosis. Novel MRI techniques enable localization and visualization of clinically significant PCa. Further, MRI can be used for guidance of targeted biopsy from suspicious lesion enhancing detection of clinically significant PCa and pinpointing a target for image guided therapies. Also, increased use of MRI may lead to more MRI-visible tumors encountered in clinical practice developing an unmet need for image guided therapies. MRI guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (MRI-TULSA) - treatment system offers treatment strategy incorporating precise diagnosis and targeted therapy. It has been evaluated for whole-gland ablation of localized PCa. Further, lesion-targeted MRI-TULSA has been proved to be feasible and safe for treating MRI-visible-biopsy-concordant histologically significant PCa in our phase 1 treat-and-3-week-resect study (not published yet). This current study further investigates the safety and the efficacy of lesion-targeted ablation of MRI-visible biopsy-proven PCa with MRI-TULSA.