Salvage High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Prostate Cancer after Radiation Failure: A Narrative Review

Abstract

For patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, there are multiple treatment options available. The traditional treatment modalities include radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, focal therapy, including high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and cryotherapy, has emerged as a less-invasive method in this setting. Some patients undergoing primary radiation therapy experience recurrence, but there is currently no consensus on the optimal approach for salvage treatment in such cases. The lack of robust data and randomized controlled trials comparing different whole-gland and focal salvage therapies presents a challenge in determining the ideal treatment strategy. This narrative review examines the prospective and retrospective data available on salvage HIFU following radiation therapy. Based on the literature, salvage HIFU for radio-recurrent prostate cancer has promising oncological outcomes, with an overall 5-year survival rate of around 85%, as well as incontinence rates of about 30% based on the patient’s risk group, follow-up times, definitions used, and other aspects of the study. Salvage HIFU for prostate cancer proves to be an effective treatment modality for select patients with biochemical recurrence following radiotherapy.