AHN’s Ultrasound Treatment: A Less Invasive Option for Patients with Prostate Cancer

Experts at AHN Cancer Institute were the first in western Pennsylvania to offer high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment for prostate cancer — the second most common type of cancer among men.*

HIFU: who it’s for, and how it’s performed

The SonablateÒ HIFU treatment is geared toward patients with early-stage, low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer that is in only one area of the prostate and has not spread to other areas of the body.

Often referred to as focal therapy, HIFU uses high frequency ultrasound waves to target and destroy cancer cells in the prostate while protecting surrounding tissue. During the minimally invasive procedure, patients are placed under general anesthesia, and an ultrasound probe is inserted into their rectum to direct ultrasound waves at the cancerous tissue.

Patients are often discharged the same day and experience a short recovery period of up to five days.

Using ultrasound as a targeted, safe alternative

The addition of this advanced capability at AHN enables a more targeted, localized approach to treating and eliminating prostate cancer, while providing a more comfortable and less invasive experience for patients.

Compared to the two most common treatments for prostate cancer — radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy to remove the entire prostate gland — doctors at AHN have found that patients are less likely to experience unpleasant side effects like urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction from HIFU.

AHN urologist Ralph Miller, MD, first performed HIFU therapy at Allegheny General Hospital in May of 2024 and says the safety and effectiveness of this treatment is promising.

“HIFU is an exciting advancement in our ability to treat prostate cancer with precision and care,” said Dr. Miller. “At AHN, we are proud to offer a variety of treatment options for prostate cancer — especially for early-stage diagnoses — that allow us to personalize care and, in some cases, help patients avoid the risks and side effects of traditional surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.”

Robust prostate care offerings

Physicians at AHN Cancer Institute have advanced skills, treatments, and resources to offer patients based on their unique care needs and health circumstances. Multidisciplinary teams work together to determine an individualized treatment plan after evaluating each patient’s diagnostic factors and how much their cancer has spread.

In addition to HIFU, AHN offers cryosurgery, which uses a cryoprobe to freeze prostate tissue and destroy cancer cells, as well as robotic-assisted, single port prostatectomies using the Da Vinci SP^ÒSurgical System. With this technology, surgeons can operate on the prostate through a few small incisions.

AHN also offers several radiation-based prostate cancer treatment methods including:

• An MRI-guided treatment completed in only five treatment sessions.
• Prostate seed brachytherapy.
• High-dose rate brachytherapy.

AHN Cancer Institute is one of the only centers in the country to offer all three of these treatments.

Referring your patients

To refer patients to AHN for leading-edge HIFU treatment or other prostate cancer care, call (412) DOCTORS.

*Source: Ask a Doc: Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment. highmarkhealth.org.