Methods of focal therapy for localised prostate cancer: laser ablation of prostate cancer
Focal therapy is a novel method of treatment of localised prostate cancer, in the course of which a certain part of the prostate containing clinically significant tumour is destroyed. Despite the absence of research works describing long-term outcomes of this method, focal therapy has prerequisites for a considerable reduction of the possibility to develop side effects, associated with conventional treatment. Focal laser ablation is a developing method and has a number of benefits, the most important of which is the opportunity to perform the procedure under the control of real-time magnetic resonance imaging. The review of literature presents principles of laser ablation, data of the already published clinical studies, and also the criteria of selecting candidates for focal laser ablation of prostate cancer and discussion of future directions of the development of this method.