Radical treatments such as prostatectomy and radiotherapy have demonstrated success in terms of biochemical and disease-specific survival for localised prostate cancer. However, whilst the end goal of any cancer treatment is to control or cure disease it must also do so by minimising any side effects that may be experienced by the patient. Focal therapy as a concept aims to redress this established therapeutic ratio by treating areas of the prostate affected by significant disease as opposed to treating the entire gland. However, there are a number of common criticisms of focal therapy - we deem the seven sins - that require further interrogation.
Cancer treatment reviews. 2016 Jul 18 [Epub ahead of print]
Edward J Bass, Hashim U Ahmed
Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, UCL, London, UK; Department of Urology, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Electronic address: ., Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, UCL, London, UK; Department of Urology, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.