HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HCG), South Asia's largest cancer care network has commenced a non-invasive protocol in prostrate cancer treatment, with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), 'Sonablate'. The procedure is an acoustic ablation technique which is radiation free and allow faster recovery.

HIFU technology utilizes the power of ultrasound to destroy deep-seated tissue with pinpoint accuracy for treatment of prostate cancer. The equipment focuses sound waves in a targeted area which rapidly increases the temperature to 90-95 deg.Centigrade in the focal zone causing tissue destruction. The treatment typically is a 2-3 hour procedure performed one time on a patient basically on an out-patient basis under spinal anaesthesia. Patients generally are up and walking within hours after HIFU and can return to a normal lifestyle within a couple of days.

Sonablate was developed by Prof Naren Sanghvi, president of the Focus Surgery, Indianapolis. The equipment has undergone extensive trials globally and has proved it as a solution for organ confined prostrate cancer therapy.

The incidence of prostrate cancer is one in 6 men in the US and is the second leading cause of death in the US. In India it is the fifth highest cancer and fourth leading cause of death. According to the Indian Cancer Registry, in 2009, 18,000 cases were diagnosed and prostrate cancer is the rising by one percent annually. The cause of the cancer is attributed to genetic origin, fatty diets and age.

The US-based HIFU technology was first introduced in India in 2008 end and has been successful with five installations. In Karnataka, HCG is the first facility to offer the treatment modality. The other hospitals which have HIFU are New Delhi-based Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Centre, and Primus Hospital, Mumbai's Jaslok and Hyderabad's Parimala Hospital.

With the installation of HIFU, HCG joins a select group of hospitals that offers new age treatment for prostrate cancer and becomes the first hospital in Karnataka to install this technology.

According to Dr Raghunath S K, Uro-Oncologist, HCG, unlike radiation, HIFU is non-ionizing which means that this acoustic ablation technique could also be used as a salvage technique if other prostate cancer treatments fail after radiation".

"The interest showed by physicians and patients and rapid adoption of HIFU technology in India is impressive. Also we are confident that the momentum will continue to grow as more physicians and patients explore Sonablate HIFU as a treatment option. It would be our privilege to partner HCG and jointly fight prostate cancer as a team and in the process provide best treatment to patients suffering from prostate cancer", stated Mukesh Rana, country manager, India HIFU.