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Prostate Ablation

September 08, 2026

Transcript

  • 00:05So ablation is using energy
  • 00:07of some form to destroy
  • 00:09tissue. In this case, we're
  • 00:11talking about prostate ablation, so
  • 00:12we use different types of
  • 00:14energy. Could be heat, cold.
  • 00:16We actually use electricity as
  • 00:18well to destroy prostate tissue,
  • 00:20usually prostate cancer.
  • 00:22Because we use imaging guidance,
  • 00:25we're able to place the
  • 00:26probes or target the tissue
  • 00:28in a very precise manner
  • 00:30and
  • 00:31destroy only the tumor and
  • 00:32the surrounding tissue,
  • 00:34but we're able to spare
  • 00:36other structures that we don't
  • 00:38want to damage.
  • 00:39This is in contrast to
  • 00:41whole prostate therapies like prostatectomy
  • 00:44or surgery where we are
  • 00:45removing the entire prostate or
  • 00:47radiation therapy which is traditionally
  • 00:49done to the entire prostate
  • 00:50with a margin of treatment
  • 00:51even outside the prostate.
  • 00:54So doing a subtotal treatment
  • 00:56where we are able to
  • 00:57target the
  • 00:58prostate cancer primarily
  • 01:00with a safety margin around
  • 01:02that
  • 01:03really allows for preservation of
  • 01:05function or the least possible
  • 01:07damage to a man's urinary
  • 01:10function, sexual function, bowel function
  • 01:12that we can achieve,
  • 01:14with a prostate cancer treatment.
  • 01:19The three different technologies that
  • 01:21we have currently at Yale
  • 01:23are Tulsa,
  • 01:25which uses
  • 01:26high intensity ultrasound waves. We're
  • 01:28able to heat the prostate
  • 01:30tissue from the inside out.
  • 01:32Cryoablation
  • 01:33is sort of the opposite.
  • 01:34It uses cold energy
  • 01:36to similarly destroy the cells.
  • 01:38And then IRE or Irreversible
  • 01:41Electroporation
  • 01:42uses electricity, and it actually
  • 01:44passes electricity between a couple
  • 01:46small needles,
  • 01:47and that
  • 01:48results in cell lysis or
  • 01:50the death of the cells.
  • 01:52There are highlights to each
  • 01:54of these. These. Right? Tulsa
  • 01:56probably of any ablation technology
  • 01:58out there currently has the
  • 02:00best treatment planning, treatment monitoring
  • 02:03in real time and ability.
  • 02:04To target certain areas of
  • 02:06the prostate avoiding damage to
  • 02:08other areas,
  • 02:09and effectively treat cancer.
  • 02:12Cryoablation,
  • 02:13we know, is very effective,
  • 02:15and it can be used
  • 02:16in certain anatomical locations more
  • 02:18easily than others and can
  • 02:20be done quickly.
  • 02:21And then IRE
  • 02:23for people that are very
  • 02:24concerned about preserving their erectile
  • 02:26function,
  • 02:27it seems to have the
  • 02:28least impact on that.
  • 02:30So those are kind of
  • 02:31the highlights that allow us
  • 02:33to really provide the top
  • 02:35level care.
  • 02:37At Yale, we understand that
  • 02:40prostate cancer treatment options
  • 02:42should be individualized to a
  • 02:43patient.
  • 02:45It's always really important to
  • 02:47take into consideration
  • 02:49factors that contribute to a
  • 02:50patient's prostate cancer risk. But
  • 02:52it's also really important to
  • 02:54take into account their
  • 02:56personal preferences,
  • 02:57their individual anatomy,
  • 02:59and being able to offer
  • 03:01this treatment,
  • 03:03to patients who have intermediate
  • 03:05risk prostate cancer and
  • 03:08wish to avoid surgery or
  • 03:10radiation, but also are uncomfortable
  • 03:12with
  • 03:13just being on active surveillance
  • 03:15alone.
  • 03:16This is an important treatment
  • 03:17option that fills a gap.
  • 03:19We know that ablation therapies
  • 03:20are safe.
  • 03:22They are not without risks,
  • 03:24but they are safe, and
  • 03:25on average have fewer side
  • 03:27effects
  • 03:28than we would see with
  • 03:29surgery or see with radiation.
  • 03:31We know from a couple
  • 03:31of trials that we actually
  • 03:33have been involved in here
  • 03:35at Yale
  • 03:36that this treatment is in
  • 03:37fact effective
  • 03:39at cancer control and also
  • 03:41effective at avoiding or lowering
  • 03:43risk of urinary and sexual
  • 03:45side effects.
  • 03:46I think it provides patients
  • 03:47who
  • 03:49are motivated
  • 03:50to maintain their quality of
  • 03:52life,
  • 03:53an opportunity to pursue therapies
  • 03:55that are not as damaging
  • 03:57to their,
  • 03:59way of life and often
  • 04:00their psychological
  • 04:02sense of self.