Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.41 million new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually, ranking it among the top five most prevalent cancers globally.
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of M42 group, offers High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for prostate cancer treatment.
This non-surgical approach uses precise ultrasound waves and advanced imaging to eliminate diseased tissues without incisions or anaesthesia. It reduces side effects through real-time robotic guidance.
In an interview with Aletihad, Dr. Waleed Hassen, Department Chair of Urology at the Surgical Subspecialties Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men globally and ranks as the second leading cause of death.
He said that prostate cancer’s treatment varies by individual factors, and surgery or radiation can have side effects that affect quality of life.
Focal One HIFU Therapy is one of the novel approaches in treating prostate cancer in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, which uses advanced imaging for locating tumours while minimising the risks of side effects.
“What Focal One Therapy does is it allows us, for a certain category of men who have relatively low volumes of cancer, to be able to treat them without using surgery or radiation,” Dr. Hassen said.
He added that imaging techniques enable precise targeting of abnormal prostate areas by directing ultrasound beams solely at the affected area, sparing the healthy tissues.
Dr. Hassen noted that this therapy is not suitable for large tumours and is typically used for older patients between the ages 65 and 70, with low-volume, intermediate-risk prostate cancer.
He outlined the treatment process, explaining that a catheter is placed for a few days following prostate treatment to manage swelling and facilitate urine drainage.
Advanced imaging methods feature detailed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs) and nuclear scans like Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging scans, which employ tracers to target and reveal prostate cancer cells.
Dr. Hassen said that with a very low risk of side effects, patients often go home the same day, bypassing surgery complications.
“Typically the patient goes home on the same day, there is no cutting, there is no radiation, and so from their standpoint they really do not feel anything,” he added.
Aiming to provide global care with expert teams and a range of treatment options, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is “the only institution in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia that has this type of machine”.
“Our goal is to continue offering the most sophisticated care available anywhere in the world,” he said.
He also emphasised individualised care for better outcomes. “The key thing is that it is crucial for the right patient to receive the right treatment. Individualising care is extremely important, which is why patients need to be treated in centres where both expertise and available prostate-cancer treatment options are available. For the right patients, this approach helps avoid the side effects associated with surgery.” In the event of cancer recurrence, Dr. Hassen mentioned: “Some patients may have lesions return or appear in a different part of the prostate. We can then treat those patients again, as we have options available for that.”
Dr. Hassen stressed that men over 40 with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened, while average men should have their first Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test between the ages of 45 and 50.
According to Dr. Hassen, obesity and smoking increase cancer risk, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with exercise, stress management, and a plant-based diet can help reduce it. “The earlier we detect it, the greater the chance of restoring people’s quality of life to its previous state. This is crucial, and the right treatment for the right patient,” he added.
