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Focal therapy for prostate cancer
- Precise, minimally invasive prostate cancer focal therapy delivered by experienced teams — including HIFU, cryoablation and NanoKnife
- Specialist technology for image guided treatment planning and delivery
- Personalised treatment plans and follow-up care, supported by a dedicated multidisciplinary team
Prostate cancer focal therapy at HCA UK
Why choose us?
If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, focal therapy may be an option depending on the stage, location and characteristics of your cancer. Our expert team will carefully assess whether this treatment is suitable for you and design a personalised treatment plan based on your diagnosis and individual needs.
From HIFU and NanoKnife to Cryoablation, here's what makes focal therapy for prostate cancer at HCA UK different.
Focal therapy is a collective term for treatments that use energy — in the form of ultrasound, extreme cold or electrical pulses — to destroy prostate cancer cells. Focal therapy is typically recommended for men with localised, low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer that is clearly visible on MRI imaging.
We have been delivering focal therapy for prostate cancer for over 20 years, carrying out more treatments than any other independent provider in the UK. Our consultants are among those who have shaped the development of this field — bringing that depth of experience to every treatment we deliver.
We offer a wide range of focal therapies including HIFU, cryoablation and NanoKnife. Because we have experience across all approaches, your consultant can recommend the technique that is best suited to the specific location and characteristics of your cancer, rather than being limited to a single option.
Before any focal therapy is recommended, you will receive detailed MRI imaging. This allows your consultant to see precisely where the cancer is within the prostate and plan treatment accordingly. During treatment, real-time imaging guides the delivery, ensuring only the targeted area is treated.
You'll have a named consultant urologist who leads your assessment, treatment and follow-up care — from your first consultation through to your recovery. Focal therapy is carried out by a specialist team with specific experience in the technique recommended for you.
Working closely with your consultant, you will receive the dedicated support of a named Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) who specialises in prostate cancer. They will be your point of contact throughout — coordinating your care, supporting you with side effects and referring you to physiotherapists, continence advisors or psychologists if needed.
Types of prostate cancer focal therapy at HCA UK
HIFU is highly effective at targeting localised prostate cancer. Using advanced ultrasound technology, HIFU delivers precise and targeted treatment by heating and destroying cancer cells within the prostate. During the procedure a small probe is placed into the rectum to deliver the focused ultrasound energy to the prostate. HIFU treatment is usually carried out under a general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep and won’t feel anything during the procedure. It typically takes one to two hours.
As HIFU is a minimally invasive procedure for localised prostate cancer that does not involve any surgical incisions, most people are able to go home the same day or the following day.
There are two types of HIFU treatment for prostate cancer:
Focal HIFU - treats only the area of cancer in the prostate, plus a small surrounding area, called a margin. Because only the affected area of the prostate is treated, the risk of side effects affecting urinary and sexual function is reduced.
Whole-prostate HIFU – treats the entire prostate and may be recommended if cancer is found in more than one area.
Your specialist will explain which approach is most suitable for you based on your individual diagnosis.
Cryoablation - also known as cryotherapy – is a minimally invasive procedure that uses very cold temperatures to freeze and destroy prostate cancer cells. Using image guidance, thin probes are inserted into the prostate and cooled to very low temperatures, destroying the cancer cells in the targeted area.
Cryoblation is a focal therapy that treats only the affected area of the prostate. It is most commonly used to treat cancer in the anterior (front) part of the prostate, where other focal techniques may be less effective. This focused treatment helps minimise damage to surrounding healthy tissue which can reduce side-effects.
Cryoblation is typically used to treat localised prostate cancer. Your consultant will explain whether it is an appropriate option for your cancer and where it sits in your overall treatment plan.
NanoKnife – also known as irreversible electroporation (IRE) – is an innovative and minimally invasive focal therapy that uses precisely controlled electrical pulses to destroy prostate cancer cells, while leaving healthy tissue around the prostate unharmed.
During the procedure, fine electrodes are placed carefully around the area of cancer, guided by ultrasound and MRI imaging. Short bursts of electrical energy are delivered through the electrodes, which permanently disrupts the cancer cells and causes them to break down — while the surrounding tissue, nerves and blood vessels are largely left intact.
This matters particularly for men whose cancer is close to the nerves responsible for sexual function. Because NanoKnife doesn't use heat or cold, it can be gentler on the delicate structures around the prostate than some other focal techniques — which is why your consultant may specifically recommend it based on where your cancer is sitting.
Most people go home the same day or the day after the procedure, and recovery is typically quicker than after radical surgery. Your consultant will talk you through whether it's the right approach for you, and what to expect if it is.
Your focal therapy experience at HCA UK
What to expect
Knowing what to expect at each stage of your care can help you feel more at ease. The following steps offer a general guide to what you can expect when having focal therapy at HCA UK, though no two people are the same, and your experience may differ.
01
Assessment and diagnosis
Before any treatment is recommended, your consultant will review your MRI imaging, biopsy results and clinical history carefully. This assessment is essential — focal therapy is only suitable for certain types and stages of prostate cancer, and your consultant will explain clearly whether it is an option for you, and which technique may be most appropriate.
02
Treatment planning
If focal therapy is recommended, your team will plan your treatment in detail using your MRI scans to map precisely where the cancer is within the prostate. This planning stage ensures only the right area is targeted during your procedure.
03
Your procedure
Focal therapy is carried out under general or regional anaesthetic, so you won't feel anything during the procedure. Depending on which technique you're having, the procedure usually takes between one and two hours. You'll be looked after by a specialist team throughout. Most people are able to go home the same day or the day after.
04
Immediately after treatment
You may have a catheter in place for a short period after your procedure to allow the treated area to heal. Some temporary discomfort, swelling or urinary symptoms are common in the first few days — your team will give you clear guidance on what to expect and what to do if you have any concerns.
05
Recovery, follow-up and ongoing monitoring
Most men return to light daily activities within one to two weeks, and urinary symptoms, if present, usually settle over the following weeks. Your Clinical Nurse Specialist will be your point of contact throughout your recovery — answering questions, supporting you with any side effects and coordinating any additional care you need.
Regular monitoring is an important part of your care going forward. Your consultant will check your PSA level regularly and arrange repeat MRI scans at intervals to look for any signs of cancer activity. If further treatment is needed, your consultant will talk you through the options, and because the whole prostate hasn't been treated, radical options such as surgery or radiotherapy are usually still available.
Prostate cancer focal therapy FAQs
Focal therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for prostate cancer that uses energy - ultrasound, extreme cold or electrical pulses - to destroy cancer cells in a precisely defined area while preserving as much of the surrounding healthy tissue as possible.
The focal therapies we offer at HCA UK are HIFU, cryoablation and NanoKnife. Your consultant will discuss which is most appropriate for your individual diagnosis.
The focal therapies we offer at HCA UK are HIFU, cryoablation and NanoKnife. Your consultant will discuss which is most appropriate for your individual diagnosis.
Most men experience some side effects after focal therapy. The effects you experience will depend on which therapy you have and where in the prostate the cancer is being treated. Your consultant will talk you through what to expect before your procedure, so you feel fully informed before going ahead.
Common side effects include temporary urinary symptoms - such as frequency or urgency - and some discomfort in the area around the prostate. These usually improve within a few weeks. The risk of erectile dysfunction is generally lower than with radical surgery, though it is still possible depending on the location of the cancer and the technique used.
Your consultant will discuss the specific side effects for your recommended procedure before you go ahead.
If you have any concerns during your treatment or recovery, speak to your Clinical Nurse Specialist or another member of your clinical team.
Common side effects include temporary urinary symptoms - such as frequency or urgency - and some discomfort in the area around the prostate. These usually improve within a few weeks. The risk of erectile dysfunction is generally lower than with radical surgery, though it is still possible depending on the location of the cancer and the technique used.
Your consultant will discuss the specific side effects for your recommended procedure before you go ahead.
If you have any concerns during your treatment or recovery, speak to your Clinical Nurse Specialist or another member of your clinical team.
Most focal therapy is typically recommended for men with localised, low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer that is clearly visible on MRI and confined to one area of the prostate. It is not suitable for all diagnoses - your consultant will review your MRI images, biopsy results and clinical history to assess whether it's right for you.
If focal therapy isn't suitable, your consultant will explain the alternatives – which may include active surveillance, surgery or radiotherapy - and help you understand which approach makes most sense for your individual cancer.
If focal therapy isn't suitable, your consultant will explain the alternatives – which may include active surveillance, surgery or radiotherapy - and help you understand which approach makes most sense for your individual cancer.
All three are focal therapies that target the affected area of the prostate, but they use different mechanisms:
HIFU uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy cancer cells. It is the most widely used focal therapy and is effective for cancer in the posterior (back) part of the prostate
Cryoablation uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy cancer cells. It may be recommended when HIFU is not the best technical fit, and is commonly used for cancer in the anterior (front) part of the prostate
NanoKnife uses precisely controlled electrical pulses to destroy cancer cells without heat or cold, which helps protect the delicate nerves and blood vessels around the prostate. Your consultant may specifically recommend it based on where your cancer is sitting
Your consultant will recommend the approach that best suits the location and characteristics of your cancer.
HIFU uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy cancer cells. It is the most widely used focal therapy and is effective for cancer in the posterior (back) part of the prostate
Cryoablation uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy cancer cells. It may be recommended when HIFU is not the best technical fit, and is commonly used for cancer in the anterior (front) part of the prostate
NanoKnife uses precisely controlled electrical pulses to destroy cancer cells without heat or cold, which helps protect the delicate nerves and blood vessels around the prostate. Your consultant may specifically recommend it based on where your cancer is sitting
Your consultant will recommend the approach that best suits the location and characteristics of your cancer.
Most men are able to go home the same day or the day after their procedure and can return to light daily activities within one to two weeks. Full recovery, including resolution of urinary symptoms, typically takes a few weeks.
Recovery times can vary depending on the type of focal therapy and your individual response. Your consultant and Clinical Nurse Specialist will give you personalised guidance on what to expect.
Recovery times can vary depending on the type of focal therapy and your individual response. Your consultant and Clinical Nurse Specialist will give you personalised guidance on what to expect.