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The NanoKnife System is a form of focal therapy for prostate cancer. It is an ablation device used to destroy a targeted area of tissue. The device uses Irreversible Electroporation or IRE, which is a technique in which electrical pulses are applied to targeted cells. The pulses create small holes in the cell membranes as they pass through. After enough pulses are delivered to the cells, the cells die.
The NanoKnife System uses probes that are placed around a targeted area of tissue to deliver electrical pulses. The probes are plugged into a generator that delivers and monitors the procedure.
Currently, the NanoKnife System has been cleared by the FDA for the surgical ablation of soft tissue. It has not received clearance for the therapy or treatment of any specific disease or condition.
Focal therapy for prostate cancer is typically considered for individuals who meet specific criteria. It is most suitable for men with localized prostate cancer, where the cancer is confined to a specific region of the prostate. It is not typically recommended for advanced or metastatic prostate cancer.
The NanoKnife System was developed as a focal therapy option for patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. These are cases where the cancer is less aggressive and less likely to spread beyond the prostate. It is also more effective when dealing with smaller tumors. Larger tumors may not be as effectively treated with focal approaches.
Some benefits of the NanoKnife System include the following:
The procedure is performed percutaneously. Before the procedure begins, you will be sedated and remain sedated until the procedure is complete.
During the procedure, your physician will place the electrodes to bracket the targeted tissue. The number of electrodes used can range from 2 to 6, which is determined by your physician before treatment.
Once the electrodes are placed, your physician will initiate a series of electrical pulses. After your physician has delivered a sufficient number of pulses to the targeted area, the procedure is complete, and the electrodes are removed.
The procedure typically takes around 45 minutes to complete.
Patients will be able to return home the same day as their procedure. A catheter is required for up to a week. Once it is removed, your urine should be able to pass easily and you should have good bladder control straight away. You may also resume sexual activity once the catheter is removed.
It is recommended for patients to avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for at least a week. After 3 to 4 weeks, patients will undergo an MRI scan to confirm that the cancer is gone and that there is nothing remaining.
Effective symptom relief with minimally invasive and low risk treatments.
The NanoKnife System has a relatively low risk of serious complications and the side effects are generally mild and infrequent. Some potential risks can include:
Focal therapy is used to treat prostate cancer of low to intermediate aggressiveness that is completely contained within the prostate. It targets and treats only the specific areas of the prostate where cancer is detected, rather than treating the entire prostate gland.
Focal therapy offers a middle-ground treatment. The goal is to achieve cancer control while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue and preserving as much of the prostate function as possible.
The NanoKnife System uses Irreversible Electroporation or IRE. This is a technology in which electrical pulses are applied to a targeted area of cells. The pulses create small holes in the cells’ membranes.
After enough pulses are delivered, the cells initiate a process that mimics apoptosis or natural cell death. The body responds to the apoptotic-like cell death by initiating the removal of cellular debris.
Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate, which is the small walnut-shaped gland found in men that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.
Prostate cancer is unique in that many prostate tumors do not spread quickly to other parts of the body. Even in cases where prostate cancer spreads, it can often be managed for a long time, allowing those even with advanced prostate cancer, to live with good health and quality of life for many years.
An important part of managing prostate cancer is monitoring it for growth over time. Based on the pattern of growth, your doctor can decide the best available treatment options and when to give them.
Prostate cancer is given a grade called a Gleason score, which is the most common prostate cancer grading system used. The score is calculated based on how close the cancer tissue looks like healthy tissue when viewed under a microscope. Cancerous tumors that are less aggressive look more like healthy tissue. Whereas cancerous tumors that are more aggressive are likely to look very different from healthy tissue.
A pathologist, someone who looks at the cancerous cells under a microscope and does comparisons, will observe the cancer cells in the prostate and assign a score on a scale of 3 to 5. They do this for two sections of the prostate that have cancer growth. The cancer cells that look similar to healthy cells are given a low score. The cancer cells that look less like healthy cells are given a higher score. The two scores are added together to come up with the overall Gleason score, which falls between 6 and 10.
