There are some things that focal therapies are very good at, such as:

• Destroying the tissue that the treatment is aiming at
• Controlling the energy to minimise collateral damage 

It’s not always easy to be sure the target we’ve chosen is the right one, which is why precision diagnostics are important.

Compared to a prostatectomy or radiotherapy, after focal therapy, you’re more likely to need additional treatment in the future, either for a new cancer in the untreated part of the prostate or to treat a recurrence.

Here are the commonly quoted stats for focal therapies and we’ve seen these reflected in our own practice too:

• Recurrence of cancer in the targeted area - 5%
• Recurrence of cancer in an untreated area of the prostate - 25%
• Overall chance of needing retreatment within 5 years - 30%

However, focal therapies are great at preserving your sexual and urinary function, which is why many men opt for them.