Transrectal Laser Focal Therapy of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy in men. Since the adoption of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer screening, most prostate cancer has been diagnosed at an early stage when it is still confined to the gland. Focal therapies have been used for decades as an alternative to traditional whole-gland therapies, which have high rates of adverse effects such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Transrectal laser focal therapy (LFT) is a relatively new and exciting treatment option that has been shown to be safe and effective in multiple phase I and II clinical trials. MRI-guidance allows for superior visualization of the patient’s anatomy, and real-time MR thermometry allows for close treatment monitoring.