Why didn't your doctor mention HIFU treatment?

When you hear about cancer, regardless of the type, it often results in a wave of fear. Until a few years ago cancer was frequently fatal as there were limited treatment options. Some patients resorted to extreme methods to deal with their disease. The first person in Australia who legally performed euthanasia was Bob Dent; he opted for this route because of his advanced prostate cancer. Medical advancements have made a huge leap since then. New treatment for prostate cancer is very curable if caught early, and side effect profiles for standard treatments have been significantly reduced. Prostate cancer can be treated in a variety of ways. HIFU treatment, cryoablation, radiation and surgery are the primary options. Your doctor is likely familiar with all of them, although he may not perform them all. For this reason it is a smart idea to look at all your options before you decide which method is most suitable for you.A digital rectal exam (DRE) is used find abnormalities. If your urologist feels an area of concern a prostate biopsy should be done in order to determine if cancer really exists and, if so, how advanced it is. This helps determine what your treatment options are. If your cancer is less than 1% many patients opt for watchful waiting. HIFU therapy might also be employed as a focal treatment designed to only treat the affected part of the prostate and minimize side effects. Surgery and radiation cannot be performed in a truly focal manner. If a person's cancer is not localized and has spread beyond the margins of the prostate then radiation is usually used to try to halt the spread of the disease.