For years we have been constantly trying to optimize therapy for both our tumor patients and our borreliosis patients.
Prostate hyperthermia, namely the transurethral conducted one, has so far been the treatment of choice for patients with a carcinoma restricted to the prostate. This method has been very successful and has helped hundreds of patients to get their cancer under control and live with normal PSA levels and without fear. The problem with the therapy, however, was that some of the patients had a PSA relapse after some time – between 1 and 5 years after the treatment -which was mostly a local relapse in the prostate itself. The percentage was constant at around 10-15%.
Now we have included a second, non-invasive therapy in the treatment concept to improve and optimize the therapy. It is the so-called photodynamic tumor therapy (PDT).
What is Photodynamic Tumor Therapy (PDT)?
A harmless dye, namely indocyanine green (1CG), is infused into the patient. This liposomal dye accumulates selectively in the prostate tissue or prostate cancer itself. This lasts up to 24 hours, then low-level laser therapy is performed through the urethra in a transurethral way. The application of the catheter with the laser probe is painless because the urethra is anesthetized beforehand.
What is now happening in the prostate?
The indocyanine green enriched in the cancer tissue begins to fluoresce due to the laser light, the energy released in the process specifically destroys the cancer tissue, i.e. only cancer tissue is destroyed, healthy tissue is not attacked.
This form of prostate therapy is even more specific than transurethral thermotherapy, which also selectively destroys cancerous tissue, but is more prone to side effects, e.g. due to edema or possible temporary urinary retention. All of this is eliminated with the PDT without side effects.
We are very glad to further improve the treatment of prostate cancer that is restricted to the prostate and to spare many patients mutilating surgery.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
