“I ruled out EBMRT as it is designed to radiate a larger area than the prostate, therefore potentially damaging the bladder and rectum and other important bits down there,” explains David. “I rejected Brachytherapy because of the uncertainty of the result - I heard many horror stories of the radiation seeds being planted in the wrong place and doing irreparable damage to surrounding organs. A Prostatectomy would have meant undergoing major surgery and therefore a long downtime. Besides not wanting to undergo the physical aspects of major surgery I could not afford to be out of action for six or more weeks.”
As an entrepreneur with his own business, David needed to be back at work as soon as possible. His prostate cancer was in its early stages and he was able to delay treatment with hormone injections while researching an alternative treatment. This is when he heard about Ablatherm HIFU, an alternative treatment option that was new to South Africa.
Ablatherm HIFU is a minimally invasive treatment procedure that uses highly intensive focused ultrasound in order to destroy tumours in the prostate. David's research showed that the treatment was widely accepted and successful in Europe, in particular in conservative countries such as Germany and France. In fact, this treatment option was growing exponentially in its popularity.
He went to see Dr Steve Eppel, a urologist practicing at Netcare's Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, who offered the treatment.
“Dr Eppel tested my appropriateness for the treatment and I was deemed to be a suitable candidate for the treatment.”
David was the second person in South Africa who received the treatment for prostate cancer, a few hours after Dr Eppel performed the first, and just two hours or so before the third. He walked out of the hospital the following day, just as the two other patients did, and returned to work two days later.
“There was no pain and the only real after-effects I had was, I believe, from the anaesthesia rather than the procedure,” says David. “I have experienced some erectile dysfunction, but it is not a major problem in my life. I am fully continent and completely well and healthy. Best of all is that my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) levels remain extremely low, indicating excellent cancer control and hopefully cure.”
According to Dr Eppel the treatment option is not only highly effective but also increasingly popular amongst men who do not want or who cannot have surgery or radiation. “With the treatment an ultrasound beam raises the temperature of targeted cells inside the prostate to 80º Celsius, which then destroys these cells,” he explains. “The procedure is extremely well tolerated by patients. It takes approximately two and a half hours to complete and is conducted on an outpatient basis with an epidural anaesthetic. The patient will be able to go home the same evening and be back at work within two to three days.”
Dr Eppel points out that the treatment is recommended for patients with early stage cancer that is confined to the prostate gland. Approximately a month before the treatment patients need to undergo a 30-minute procedure, known as a Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP), as the prostate is usually enlarged.
David feels that more people should be made aware of Ablatherm HIFU as an alternative treatment option for prostate cancer. “It is a safe alternative to other treatments and surgery and more men should know about it, just as more men should be made aware of the threat of prostate cancer. Nine months after my treatment I lead a normal and full life.”
