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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A RUSH TO OPERATING ROOMS THAT ALTERS MEN'S LIVES



August 30, 2010, 5:00 pm A Rush to Operating Rooms That Alters Men’s Lives
By DANA JENNINGS

Jeanette Ortiz-Burnett/The New York TimesAs I scuffed through the stations of the prostate-cancer cross these past two years, I sometimes wondered whether I wasn’t a dupe caught up in a Robin Cook medical thriller.

Sure, the biopsy (so I was told) showed that my prostate was cancerous. And after it was removed, the pathology report revealed that the cancer was unexpectedly aggressive, thrusting me from the relative comforts of Stage 1 to the deep woods of Stage 3.

But at least on the surface, the cancer itself never did any damage. It was the treatments that razed me — the surgery, radiation and hormones producing a catalog of miseries that included impotence, incontinence and hot flashes. And a small voice kept whispering: What if this is all a lie? A dark conspiracy of the global medical-industrial complex?

And now comes “Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers,” by Ralph H. Blum and Dr. Mark Scholz, effectively confirming my whimsical paranoia.

Mr. Blum, a cultural anthropologist and writer, has lived with prostate cancer for 20 years without radical treatment, and Dr. Scholz is an oncologist who has treated the disease exclusively since 1995.

Their book, written tag-team style, is a provocative and frank look at the bewildering world of prostate cancer, from the current state of the multibillion-dollar industry to the range of available treatments.

About 200,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States, and the authors say nearly all of them are overtreated. Most men, they persuasively argue, would be better served having their cancer managed as a chronic condition.

Why? Because most prostate cancers are lackadaisical — the fourth-class mail of their kind. The authors say “active surveillance” is an effective initial treatment for most men.

They add that only about 1 in 7 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer are at risk for a serious form of the disease. “Out of 50,000 radical prostatectomies performed every year in the United States alone,” Dr. Scholz writes, “more than 40,000 are unnecessary. In other words, the vast majority of men with prostate cancer would have lived just as long without any operation at all. Most did not need to have their sexuality cut out.”

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.Yet radical prostatectomy is still the treatment recommended most often, even though a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine suggested that it extended the lives of just 1 patient in 48.

And surgery, of course, is most often recommended by surgeons and urologists — who are also surgeons. Mr. Blum writes: “As one seasoned observer of the prostate cancer industry told me, ‘Your prostate is worth what Ted Turner would call serious cash money.’ ” As for patients, their rational thinking has been short-circuited by the word “cancer.” Scared, frantic and vulnerable — relying on a doctor’s insight — they are ripe to being sold on surgery as their best option. Just get it out.

Every urologist I met with after my diagnosis recommended surgery, even though it was believed then that I had a low-risk Stage 1 cancer. The best advice came from my personal urologist, who declined to do my operation because it was beyond him: “Avoid the community hospital guys who do a volume business in prostates.”

I did, but I’m still maimed. In my experience, doctors play down punishing side effects like incontinence, impotence and shrinking of the penis. Those are just words when you hear them, but beyond language when you go through them.

Despite the impression the authors give, though, judging the velocity or voraciousness of a prostate cancer can still be imprecise. I know this firsthand.

After my biopsy, it appeared that I had a Stage 1 cancer, a doddering old nag that the authors would have designated for active surveillance. As it turned out, I had an especially pure Stage 3 cancer, a real top-fuel eliminator in terms of velocity (and hunger).

I’m a wild card, the 1 man in 48 saved by surgery. Without it, my doctors wouldn’t have learned the cancer was so advanced, and wouldn’t have given me the hormones and radiation that helped keep me alive.

So yes, prostate cancer is a dark and mysterious country, and Mr. Blum and Dr. Scholz are good, levelheaded guides through these thickets. And in telling men to slow up and take a deep breath after they learn they have prostate cancer, they provide an invaluable service. I wish I had had this book back in 2008.

But all of this raises one last stark question: Was my life worth the 47 other prostatectomies that probably didn’t have to be performed?

I don’t know. I’m a man, not a statistic.

THE FOLLOWING ARE DR. SUAREZ' COMMENTS ON THE ABOVE ARTICLE

There are so many valid points in this article and in this book. However, there is no mention of the alternative to surgical removal of the prostate. I am specifically referring to a technology known as High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). The manufacturer of the technology is USHIFU, it is called the Sonoblate-500 and is based in Charlotte, N. C. This is a non invasive treatment for prostate cancer that has been approved in Europe and throughout the world since 1998. It is in final phase of investigation clinical trials by the FDA, and should be approved in the U.S. in the next 18-24 months. It provides an efficacy and cure rate similar to surgery and/or radiation, but it has less risks of complications such as referred in the article: impotence and urinary incontinence. It utilizes ultrasound energy that has no toxicity, and provides a precise treatment without scatter or displacement of the treatment to surrounding tissue. Therefore, less risk of collateral damage.
The U.S. is typically the last country to adopt new technology and new medical treatments. Mostly due to the rigors of FDA clinical evaluation, and this is a good thing. No one wants to be rendered a treatment that has not undergone proper evaluation for patient safety, efficacy and clinical outcomes. Once HIFU is approved, it will be the only prostate cancer therapy that would have undergone FDA approval. As all other therapies have had "grand fathered approval" by virtue that they were procedures performed prior to revision of FDA guidelines in 1976.
HIFU is an excellent alternative that merits consideration by men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. It is available, and being performed by hundreds of American board certified urologist in countries where it is approved. In certain cases it is covered by insurance. The technology is based on similar delivery of energy used to break up kidney stones. It is called piezoelectric energy in the form of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Before ESWL, patients underwent major surgery to remove kidney stones. With ESWL, they are now treated in an out patient setting with non invasive technology.
The advances in computer technology and imaging capabilities continue to transform the practice of medicine at fast and rapid speed. Some of these technologies may be considered disruptive by older , and less adopting physicians. But this the natural and normal course of evolution of medical care. I am convinced that HIFU will be the state of the art treatment of choice in the future.

For additional information, please visit website: www.hifumedicalexpert.com or www.ushifu.com.
George M. Suarez, M.D.
Medical Director,
The Miami Urology Center of Excellence
9195 Sunset Drive
Miami, Florida, 33173
Tel:305-595-0199. 1-877-949-5325
www.hifumedical.expert.com

PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING FOR OBESE MEN

Prostate Cancer Screening Should Be Adjusted For Overweight, Obese Men. Fact: Overweight and obese men may have diminished prostate cancer detection.
September is prostate cancer awareness month. The following was provided by the American Urologic Association, and is placed here for educational purposes.

MedWire (8/27, Guy) reported, "Overweight and obese men may have diminished prostate cancer detection owing to low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels," University of Texas researchers found after evaluating data on 3,697 individuals. More specifically, "potential explanations for the association between overweight/obesity and PSA is a possible hemodilution effect caused by greater blood volume, or the suppression of PSA production caused by lower testosterone levels and higher estrogen levels," according to the paper in Urology. Thus, the study authors "recommend adjusting prostate cancer screening to allow for the impact of body mass index (BMI)."

Monday, August 30, 2010

HIFU SHOWS PROMISE AS A PROSTATE CANCER THERAPY

AMSTERDAM—High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) shows promise as a treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, according to interim study results presented here at the 7th Meeting of the European Association of Urology's Section of Oncological Urology.
The study included 20 men with stage T1c-T2b, N0, and M0 unilateral prostate cancer. All subjects had a PSA of 15 ng/mL or lower, a Gleason score of 7 or less, and a prostate size of 40 cc or less. Six months after treatment with HIFU, 95% of men were able to achieve erections and had pad-free urinary continence. Also six months post-procedure, 55% of men had wet ejaculations and no patient had rectal toxicity. One man refused a biopsy at six months. Of the 19 men who underwent biopsy, two (10.5%) had cancer recurrence. One patient was switched to active surveillance and the other underwent another HIFU treatment. Six months later, magnetic resonance imaging and biopsy revealed no evidence of disease.
“By treating the disease using focal therapy we avoid the morbidity associated with radical therapy, while restoring men to a position in which they can have access to active surveillance,” said lead investigator Mark Emberton, MD, Consultant Urologist at University College London Hospital in London. “It's controversial, but it's definitely exciting—focal therapy is currently the only strategy on the table that might lead to significant and important reductions in treatment-related harms.”
From the June 2010 Issue of Renal And Urology News

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

HEALTHDAY NEWS

MONDAY, Aug. 23 (HealthDay News) -- The initial treatment given to prostate cancer patients has a major impact on short- and long-term costs of care, a new study has found.
For example, while some may opt for an initial treatment that is less expensive in the short-term, the long-term costs of that treatment may actually be higher, the study authors explained.

Treatments options for early-stage prostate cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal treatment, watchful waiting, or combinations of those methods. Decisions about which treatment to use are based on a variety of factors, including cost, according to background information in the study, published online Aug. 23 in the journal Cancer.
In the study, U.S. researchers analyzed data from 13,769 prostate cancer patients, aged 66 and older, who were diagnosed in 2000 and followed-up for a period of five years. The data came from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database.
The men were divided into groups based on the treatment they received during the first nine months after being diagnosed with prostate cancer: watchful waiting, radiation, hormonal therapy, hormonal therapy plus radiation, and surgery. The men in the surgery group may also have received hormones and/or radiation therapy.
For most of these cases, treatment costs were highest in the first year and then declined sharply and remained steady over the next several years. According to the report, watchful waiting had the lowest initial ($4,270) and five-year total costs ($9,130), and hormonal therapy had the second lowest initial cost but the highest five-year total cost ($26,896).
The highest initial treatment costs were observed among those receiving hormonal therapy plus radiation ($17,474), and those undergoing surgery ($15,197), the investigators noted.
Over five years, total costs for hormonal therapy plus radiation were $25,097, and $19,214 for surgery.
When the researchers took into account that costs of treatment in the last 12 months of life are different than other treatment years and excluded the costs for that year, they found that total costs were highest for hormonal therapy plus radiation ($23,488) and hormonal therapy only ($23,199).
"This demonstrates that treatments that may be less expensive in the short term may have higher long-term costs," study leader Claire Snyder, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, said in a journal news release.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about prostate cancer.

Monday, August 23, 2010

CONSIDERING RADIATION THERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER...GET THE FACTS

If you are considering radiation therapy for prostate cancer, including the highly marketed concept of radioactive seeds. Get the facts before making a decision.The fact is that radioactive seeds are nothing more than another form of radiation. It is not much different than External Beam Radiotherapy, Image guided Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) or Proton radiotherapy. With all forms of radiation comes the toxic side effects of radiation. Anyone considering radiation should look into High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) . There no radiation and no surgery. HIFU is truly totally non- invasive outpatient procedure. For further information, visit: www.hifumedicalexpert.com. If you want to get the facts on the secondary effects from radiation exposure in the treatment of prostate cancer, click on the link below and read the comments that follow.

Please see the recent article in Urology Times in the link below commenting on clinical outcomes of radiation therapy being similar to HIFU in treating prostate cancer.

http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ut_201008/index.php?startid=24


"Although this is another important article in the fast gaining popularity of HIFU as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer, and the efficacy in clinical outcomes. The fact is that as a slow growing cancer, it seems to respond to almost any type of treatment when it is diagnosed early and has favorable PSA and Gleason score. However, Radiation has additional toxic side effects that are not often discussed with the patients. Yet, it remains the most common form of treatment for prostate cancer. Mostly because of men's fear of undergoing surgery and the collateral damage associated with it. Even with radiation there is still high degree of side effects. These include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence and high degree of irritable or "bother symptoms" (bladder and bowel). What is seldom mentioned is the increased risk of developing a secondary malignancy. Particularly bladder and rectal cancer, reported as high as 70 % greater than men treated with alternatives other than radiation. (1) Furthermore, a recent study from the CaPSURE (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor) database has revealed that PSA recurrence after radiotherapy occurred in 63 % of men with 93 % being treated with Androgen deprivation therapy for salvage of PSA failure. (2) The alternative to Androgen deprivation is to treat radiation failures with Salvage HIFU and saving patients from being placed on hormone therapy. That in the end Androgen deprivation is only palliative and never curative."


References:

(1) Baxter NN, Tepper JE, Durham SB. et al, Increased risk of rectal cancer after radiation: a population-based study. Gastroenterology, 2005;128:819-824.

(2) Agarwal PK, Sadestsky N, Konety BR et al: and the CaPSURE group. Treatment failure after primary and salvage therapy for prostate cancer: Likelihood, patterns of care, and outcomes. Cancer 2008;112:307-14.




Acute Toxicity Predicts Late Injury After Prostate Radiotherapy -

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

MORE COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE

http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ut_201008/index.php?startid=24

"Although this is another important article in the fast gaining popularity of HIFU as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer, and the efficacy in clinical outcomes. The fact is that as a slow growing cancer, it seems to respond to almost any type of treatment when it is diagnosed early and has favorable PSA and Gleason score. However, Radiation has additional toxic side effects that are not often discussed with the patients. Yet, it remains the most common form of treatment for prostate cancer. Mostly because of men's fear of undergoing surgery and the collateral damage associated with it. Even with radiation there is still high degree of side effects. These include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence and high degree of irritable or "bother symptoms" (bladder and bowel). What is seldom mentioned is the increased risk of developing a secondary malignancy. Particularly bladder and rectal cancer, reported as high as 70 % greater than men treated with alternatives other than radiation. (1) Furthermore, a recent study from the CaPSURE (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor) database has revealed that PSA recurrence after radiotherapy occurred in 63 % of men with 93 % being treated with Androgen deprivation therapy for salvage of PSA failure. (2) The alternative to Androgen deprivation is to treat radiation failures with Salvage HIFU and saving patients from being placed on hormone therapy. That in the end is palliative and never curative."
George M. Suarez, M.D.
Co- Founder,
Medical Director Emeritus, USHIFU

PLEASE GO TO PAGE 24 25 UROLOGY TIMES

http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ut_201008/index.php?starid=24

DR. SUAREZ COMMENTS ON THE ABOVE ARTICLE FROM UROLOGY TODAY

This is another important article in the fast gaining popularity of HIFU as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer. The fact is that as a slow growing cancer, it seems to respond to almost any type of treatment when it is diagnosed early and has favorable PSA and Gleason score. However, Radiation has additional toxic side effects that are not often discussed with the patients. Yet, it remains the most common form of treatment for prostate cancer. These include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence and high degree of irritable or "bother symptoms. (bladder and bowel)" What is seldom mentioned is the increased risk of developing a secondary malignancy. Particularly bladder and rectal cancer, reported as high as 70 % greater than men treated with alternatives other than radiation. (1) Furthermore, a recent study from the CaPSURE (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor) database has revealed that PSA recurrence after radiotherapy occurred in 63 % of men with 93 % being treated with Androgen deprivation therapy for salvage of PSA failure. (2) These outcomes also add to the ability to treat radiation failures with Salvage HIFU and saving patients from being placed on hormone therapy.


References:

(1) Baxter NN, Tepper JE, Durham SB. et al, Increased risk of rectal cancer after radiation: a population-based study. Gastroenterology, 2005;128:819-824.

(2) Agarwal PK, Sadestsky N, Konety BR et al: and the CaPSURE group. Treatment failure after primary and salvage therapy for prostate cancer: Likelihood, patterns of care, and outcomes. Cancer 2008;112:307-14.
http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ut_201008/index.php?starid=24
http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ut_201008/index.php?starid=24
http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/ut_201008/index.php?starid=24

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE BY GEORGE M. SUAREZ, M.D.


This is another important article in the fast gaining popularity of HIFU as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer. The fact is that as a slow growing cancer, it seems to respond to almost any type of treatment when it is diagnosed early and has favorable PSA and Gleason score. However, Radiation has additional toxic side effects that are not often discussed with the patients. Yet, it remains the most common form of treatment for prostate cancer. These include erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence and high degree of irritable or "bother symptoms. (bladder and bowel)" What is seldom mentioned is the increased risk of developing a secondary malignancy. Particularly bladder and rectal cancer, reported as high as 70 % greater than men treated with alternatives other than radiation. (1) Furthermore, a recent study from the CaPSURE (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor) database has revealed that PSA recurrence after radiotherapy occurred in 63 % of men with 93 % being treated with Androgen deprivation therapy for salvage of PSA failure. (2) These outcomes also add to the ability to treat radiation failures with Salvage HIFU and saving patients from being placed on hormone therapy.


References:

(1) Baxter NN, Tepper JE, Durham SB. et al, Increased risk of rectal cancer after radiation: a population-based study. Gastroenterology, 2005;128:819-824.

(2) Agarwal PK, Sadestsky N, Konety BR et al: and the CaPSURE group. Treatment failure after primary and salvage therapy for prostate cancer: Likelihood, patterns of care, and outcomes. Cancer 2008;112:307-14.

Monday, August 16, 2010

NEW IN INDIA

India HIFU adopts revenue sharing model with healthcare providers to penetrate in South Asian market

Monday, August 16, 2010 08:00 IST
Nandita Vijay, Bangalore

India HIFU, the Indian arm of US-HIFU specializing in treatment of prostrate cancer with its ultrasound technology 'Sonablate', is aggressively targeting the South Asian market. The company has adopted a unique financing concept which ensures that hospitals need not make upfront investment in the technology installation but partner India HIFU on a revenue sharing model.

According to Mukesh Rana, country manager, India HIFU, the company foresees huge potential in the Indian healthcare market going by the rising incidence of prostrate cancer which is an age-related and genetic condition aggravated by fatty diets and poor exhibition of the disease symptoms but are detected only with a blood test for prostrate specific antigen (PSA) levels.

Also the financing model envisaged by India HIFU would be a win-win situation for both the technology and the healthcare provider. Further the concept would ease the burden of equipment maintenance for hospitals and in the process help them to concentrate on treatment modalities, he said.

In the last 18 months, the company has set up five installations across India, which includes two hospitals in New Delhi: Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Centre and Primus; one each in Mumbai at Jaslok and Hyderabad Parimala Hospital. Currently, India HIFU charges Rs 3.25 lakh for the procedure to patients, he added.

'Sonablate' is a high intensity focused ultrasound equipment that targets the cancer cells. The robotic ablation technology according to the company is an alternative modality to combat prostate cancer with significant lower side effects as compared to other traditional treatment protocols like prostatectomy and radiotherapy.

In India so far, around 100 patients have undergone treatment with Sonablate and there has been a positive response, he said.

The product was developed by Prof Naren Sanghvi president of the Focus Surgery, Indianapolis. Sonablate studies on patients globally has proved it as a solution for organ confined prostrate cancer therapy. In fact, in Japan alone the company has a 10-year follow-up study with Sonablate therapy.

The treatment offers high economies-of scale and its success rate is reported to be around 93 percent. The big advantage of the technology is the minimally invasive feature which is viewed as far safer and as effective compared to prostatectomy or radiotherapy. The only challenge is to ensure that early stage detection is made, explained Rana.

The company is looking at the Indian sub-continent going by its 18,000 prostrate cancer patient population and a similar number in other south Asian countries. The challenge before India HIFU now is to look for right partners across the region to augment its installation base.

India HIFU is the exclusive distributor of the Sonablate system in the country. The company is in-charge of marketing and setting up Sonablate HIFU Centers too in the run.

On the alternate treatment options with HUFU, Rana stated that advanced research on use of Sonablate for kidney and pancreatic cancers were on. It will take a while to introduce the therapy to patients.

Globally the only other company which offers a similar technology is the France-based Edap. But, for US HIFU its longer presence in the market has allowed it to garner a higher installation base, said Rana.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Dr. George M. Suarez is the co-founder and Medical Director, Emeritus of USHIFU and International HIFU. Dr. Suarez has served on the Board of Directors of Focus Surgery, the manufacturer of the Sonoblate 500. As well as currently serves on the Board of Directors of USHIFU. He has performed more HIFU procedures than any single urologist in North America, and has trained the vast majority of urologists performing HIFU. He has been involved with teaching, training and educational materials of HIFU dating back for almost 10 years.

For additional information on HIFU and on Dr. George M. Suarez, please visit www.hifumedicalexpert.com

Thursday, August 12, 2010

HIFU IN BANGALORE INDIA

Innovative Prostate Cancer Treatment Introduced In Bangalore, India
High intensity focused ultrasound technology with the Sonablate® 500 medical device now available for patients through HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd. (HCG)

CHARLOTTE, N.C., August 11, 2010—USHIFU, LLC (“US HIFU”), a worldwide leader in the development, distribution and use of minimally invasive high intensity focused ultrasound (“HIFU”) technologies, and its affiliate India High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Devices Private Limited (“India HIFU”), announce the introduction of Sonablate® HIFU technology for prostate cancer in Bangalore, India at several HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd. (“HCG”) centers.
Dr. Raghunath S.K., the first urologist in Bangalore to treat prostate cancer using HIFU, treated the city’s first patient today at Bangalore Institute of Oncology, one of the HCG centers to offer Sonablate HIFU.
Sonablate HIFU is a minimally invasive, targeted approach to treating prostate disease with precision-focused ultrasound energy that, when delivered, raises the temperature of the tissue in a matter of seconds. The extreme, rapid-firing heat destroys the tissue at a specific target, known as a lesion, which measures 12x3x3 mm, approximately the size of a grain of rice. Lesions are created throughout the prostate that result in its destruction.

“We are thrilled with this new association with HCG and what it means for prostate cancer patients in India,” said Alex Gonzalez, US HIFU’s vice president of international operations. “Since HCG has 18 cancer care centers across Southeast Asia and India, more men facing prostate cancer will learn about and gain access to the technology through their network.”

Bangalore Institute is the fifth facility in India to offer Sonablate HIFU for men with localized prostate cancer. The first Sonablate HIFU services were introduced in December 2008 in Hyderabad; other cities to subsequently offer the treatment include New Delhi and Mumbai. More than 50 prostate cancer patients have been treated with Sonablate HIFU since its introduction.

“It has been our goal to partner with the finest hospitals in India in order for exponentially more men to gain easier access to the treatment.” said Mukesh Rana, country manager, India HIFU. “We knew there was a need for HIFU in this area because a few Bangalore residents recently traveled more than 2,000 kilometers to New Delhi for treatment.”
# # #


About USHIFU, LLC
USHIFU, LLC (US HIFU), a privately held healthcare company, is a world leader in minimally invasive high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technologies. US HIFU manufactures the Sonablate® 500 medical device and is focused currently on treating primary and recurrent prostate cancer using Sonablate® HIFU. The company is engaged in ongoing research for technological advancements for the Sonablate® system or other ultrasound applications. US HIFU was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. Additional information can be found at www.ushifu.com.

About India HIFU
India High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Devices Private Limited (India HIFU) is an affiliate of US HIFU. India HIFU sells, markets and services Sonablate® HIFU devices for HIFU treatment of prostate cancer as well as develops new Sonablate® HIFU centers throughout India. Additional information can be found at www.india-hifu.com.

About the Sonablate® 500
The Sonablate® 500 is a minimally invasive medical device that utilizes ultrasound energy to destroy tissue within the body. It was developed by Focus Surgery, Inc. Takai Hospital Supply Ltd. distributes the Sonablate® 500 in Southeast Asia. The Sonablate® 500 is not approved for use in the U.S. The Sonablate® 500 remains investigational in the U.S. and is being studied for the treatment of prostate cancer in clinical trials in the U.S. FDA has made no decision as to the safety or efficacy of the Sonablate® 500 for the treatment of prostate cancer.

US HIFU BREAKING BARRIERS IN ULTRASOUND TECHNOLOGY

US HIFU - Breaking Barriers in Ultrasound Technology
US HIFU, LLC is a privately held health care company focused on treating primary and recurrent prostate cancer using HIFU, a minimally invasive outpatient procedure which potentially improves patients’ quality of life. US HIFU was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.


HIFU Around the World
The company is focused on becoming a global market leader utilizing HIFU to revolutionize the delivery of minimally invasive patient care. US HIFU has established partnerships and relationships throughout the world, creating an extensive international presence by making HIFU technology available outside the U.S. in Central America, South America, Canada, India and the Caribbean.

HIFU in the United States
US HIFU is also managing the process of conducting FDA U.S. clinical trials of the Sonablate® 500, including a trial for primary prostate cancer patients and a trial for patients who have experienced radiation failure.

Clinical Trials in US
For more information about clinical trials that are enrolling patients for treating localized prostate cancer with high intensity focused ultrasound, click here.

Monday, August 9, 2010

A MESSAGE FROM BRUCE

Bruce,

Thank you for this information. I will pass it on to our blog and website. I am so happy all is well. BTW, your brother is also doing great and in addition to being cured with a non detectable PSA after HIFU, he too has had no side effects or complications. Places like John Hopkins are academic centers that typically lag behind the day to day"pulse" of new and disruptive treatments. On the other hand, Dr Mark Schoenberg, chief of urologic oncology at John Hopkins is the Chief Medical Officer for USHIFU. Therefore, there is an obvious connection and a believe in our technology (HIFU) by the John Hopkins department of urology.

Tried and time,,, I am sure HIFU will prevail as the optimal treatment for localized prostate cancer
Regards,

George


George M. Suarez, M.D.



-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Howard
To: gmsuarezmd@aol.com
Sent: Wed, Aug 4, 2010 1:00 pm
Subject: Fw: Fwd: Enlarged Prostate: Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis


My Acupuncturist asked me to send this to you, I'm sure in the hopes that you will recommend him to some of your client's with Prostatitis. He has helped me numerous times over the years with assorted ills. I don't know if you have any faith in Eastern medicine, but I thought I would forward it to you as a favor to him. When I read the suggested treatments for prostate cancer it blows my mind that an institute like Johns Hopkins, so highly regarded, does not even list HIFU as a suggested treatment. Maybe the article was too old. I appreciate what you must go through trying to get your miraculous treatment through the "old school" people in the Medical profession.

I got my psa score back and it was 0.07......thanks again. Continue to have patients contemplating the treatment call me and I will preach the gospel according to George.

Hope all is good with you.


Bruce Howard
Principal

BRUCE HOWARD & ASSOCIATES
Landscape Architects, Site Planners, & Golf Course Designers
4872 S.W. 72nd Avenue
Miami, Florida 33155
(305) 668-3196 Phone
(305) 668-2871 Fax
e-mail: bruce@brucehoward.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Santiago Sifre
To: Bruce Howard
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2010 10:26 AM
Subject: Fw: Fwd: Enlarged Prostate: Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis


Bruce, maybe you cn send this to your prostate guy and let him know on my behalve that it came from me. I would appreaciate it.



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Dan Radcliffe
To: Santiago Sifre
Sent: Wed, November 18, 2009 11:44:56 AM
Subject: Fwd: Enlarged Prostate: Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis





Begin forwarded message:


From: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts

Date: November 17, 2009 10:02:02 AM EST

To: danradcliffe@mac.com

Subject: Enlarged Prostate: Alternative Treatment for Chronic Prostatitis

Reply-To: editor@johnshopkinshealthalerts.com


Johns Hopkins Health Alerts:
Enlarged Prostate and Prostatitis
Alternative Treatment for Chronic Prostatitis May Help
Should you try acupuncture to relieve the pain of chronic prostatitis? Results from a recent study provide the answer. Read on ...

(800) 829-0422www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com | Johns Hopkins Health Bookstore | Email this to a friend
Alternative Treatment for Chronic Prostatitis May Help





Should you try acupuncture to relieve the pain of chronic prostatitis? Results from a recent study provide the answer.
Like other forms of chronic pain, chronic prostatitis is a complex condition with no simple solutions. Successful management depends on treating the original source of the pain as well as the neurological and psychosocial problems that often accompany it.
As a result, your doctor may prescribe several different types of medication. Some men also benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help improve coping strategies and psychological well-being.
But what if you've tried medications and they haven't helped? Should you give acupuncture a try?
Results from a small study in The American Journal of Medicine suggest that acupuncture may provide relief to men with chronic prostatitis. The study compared the potential benefits of acupuncture versus sham (inactive) treatments in 89 men who had symptoms of chronic prostatitis for three or more of the past six months and who had a score of 15 or higher on the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index.
The men were randomly assigned to receive two acupuncture treatments or two sham treatments a week for 10 weeks. The sham treatments were nearly identical to genuine acupuncture needle insertions except for the location and depth of placement.
True acupuncture was nearly twice as effective as the sham procedure in relieving chronic prostatitis symptoms. Moreover, patients treated with acupuncture were more than twice as likely as the men given the inactive treatment to experience long-term prostatitis relief. Few of the men experienced complete resolution of their symptoms.
This study supports findings from other trials showing a benefit from acupuncture for chronic prostatitis. More study is needed before the treatment can definitively be recommended, but if nothing else has worked for you, a trial of acupuncture might be worth considering.



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Thursday, August 5, 2010

Bojangles on Cancer Compass

people treated with Hifu
by bojangles on Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:09 PM

Quote | Reply Looking for anyone in the late 50's who have had HIFI treatments. Would love to talk to them and see how they're doing. How's your sex life.
Look me up on Cancer Compass

MR. BOJANGLES ON HIFU AND ED

Whatever your sex life is prior to hifu it will most likely be the same after it, as least that's what I keep reading and that's what happened to me.

I'll try to bring up old threads where people discussed it...

The published rate is 19% have ED.

The most important thing is - if you have trouble with erections after hifu then take Cialis, 5mg daily, it keeps the blood flowing so the vessels stay open and heal open. HIFU shrinks the gland and the vessels are attached so they could get crimped. Cialis works....good luck!
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