Does anyone have any first hand experience with Nanoknife procedure?

I had nano knife done on dec 8, 2025, (also called IRE) they zapped the cancer out with dc electricity, it was same day, I was home in 4 hours, also I had a psma cat done on December 31st, 2025. I am currently on active surveillance, which means blood tests done every 3 months, I get the PSA total test done, its more accurate, it comes in 3 parts. So far, I have not experienced any long-term side effects. The psma test is done with a injection of radioactive solution, i have to wait 50 minutes to become less contagious in a room alone and then have my cat scan, its painless. My results indicated there may be some cancer but also there is some inflammation that may be mistaken for cancer, time will tell. Hope to hear from you soon

@audrey27 i don't understand why they will not cover it, it's much cheaper payout the radiation, and other procedures, Medicare pays for it, at 80%, you may have to set up a payment plan with the hospital since the insurance doesn't cover it.

Urology Times reports that IRE procedures such as Nanoknife, as of January 2026, have been assigned a Category I CPT code for ablation of prostate and liver lesions. https://www.urologytimes.com/view/category-i-cpt-code-granted-to-irreversible-electroporation-for-prostate-lesions

Georgia Urology apparently confirms that this means payers such as Medicare will now cover the procedure. "NanoKnife will not be fully covered until January 2026" https://www.gaurology.com/comparing-hifu-to-nanoknife/

Georgia Urology noted that they have had some success getting insurance to pay in the past, "but this is not the norm".

@jeffmarc I am with you 🙂 I read everything I could before I turned 65…….. Supplement plans are the only way to go. Advantage plans seem better? But in the long run if you’re dealing with cancer it changes the whole dynamic…….. Agents are trained to sell you Advantage plans! They make way more money unfortunately not in the consumers best interest…….

I was very fortunate to be eligible for ( same coverage as a supplemental plan ) Tri-care for life as a 20 Air Force Veteran. They tried to sell me an Advantage plan & and actually sold me a plan “E” supplement plan. Only to find out later I did not need it because of my Military service in the Air Force. Luckily I found out in time and cancelled my plan “E” in time! Wish you well and hope you can correct this 🙏

Ray & Lucy

Hi Brian,

I spoke with my Doctor, they use a 5mm margin around the tumor. Followed by monthly PSA tests & MRI every 6 months for the first year to include a biopsy if needed. Then active surveillance he says he has preformed over 300 Nano Knife procedures with 80-90 success rates after the first year. 3+4 almost qualifies for active surveillance …….. I might be kicking the can down the road, but this seems to be a very logical first step. I would very much like to keep my OEM equipment ( my prostrate ) and I can always use the many other more powerful procedures………later If needed 😊 I feel good knowing I am in good hands at Mayo Clinic 😊

Ray & Lucy

Dude, you want to go down the middle lane of the most trodden path of the most curative treatment possible..
You don’t play paddy cakes with cancer!
You kill cancer!!!!!

Prancing around on side treatments..

Go here and compare your probability of cure vs the major treatment pathways
https://www.prostatecancerfree.org/compare-prostate-cancer-treatments/
Don’t use cellphone use a computer.

There are 3 graphs, one each for low, intermediate, and high risk. Sounds like you might be high? (Risk of recurrence after treatment).

The elipses can be confusing. I put a dot on each eclipse and drew a line to make it easier to intemperate. If you need help readin the charts get it.

You will notice that chance of cure starts well for RP but drops as risk increases. At high risk you are down to 40-50% chance of cure.
Compare that to radiation options.

Get Dr Scholz book where you can stage yourself.
You need to learn to survive.
This zone is flooded with bad information. You will hear different stats from every damn doctor. Im sorry but the cancer is not the most dangerous thing here. Getting steered wrong is just as deadly.
Read read read

Am having Nanoknife surgery in August. The Doctor is David Strauss at University Colorado Health Anschutz Hospital. My tumor is 1mm, Gleason score 3+4 – Category 2

Wonder if anyone else has had this surgery? I hear it’s much more prevalent in Europe.

NanoKnife is a type of focal therapy. There are some issues you should be aware of when it comes to using focal therapy. It may be perfectly adequate for what you’re having done considering the mild case of prostate cancer you have.

At the 11/1/2025 PCRI conference the following was said by Matthew R. Cooperberg, MD, MPH Urologic Oncologist UCSF

What about focal therapy?
* The energy modality matters much less than the accuracy of the imaging - which is not there yet.
* Overall focal therapy is associated with minor side effects, but high rates of recurrence both in- and out-of-field.
* Focal therapy is not really a replacement for surgery or radiation; it is better considered an adjunct to active surveillance

Af the UCSF prostate cancer forum on 4-17-26 Dr. Cooperberg had slides with this information

UCSF Results: first 135 HIFU patients

• 54% recurrence (41% in-field)

• 4% progression by 1 year, 16% overall

• IPSS (urinary obstruction) 6 before, 6 after

• SHIM (erection function) 16 before, 13 after (p=0.11)

• Major drivers of recurrence: GG3, high Decipher

Trade-offs

• Overall focal therapy is associated with minor side effects, but high rates of recurrence

• Inadequate energy delivery?

• Inadequate field of treatment?

• New cancer development?

• Others?

• Understanding the high recurrence rates and trying to improve them is a major area of research focus.

• Focal therapy does not burn bridges: RP, RT, even additional focal therapy are possible if necessary

Summary thoughts

•Focal ablation has a growing role for very carefully selected cases.

• Side effects rates are low but recurrence rates are high. GG3 and high Decipher are warning signs, as are high PSAD and bilateral disease.

• Focal therapy is an adjunct to active surveillance; additional treatment may well be needed down the road, but these treatments are still possible after focal.

University of California Consensus

1 Focal therapy must be acknowledged to be investigational

2. Focal therapy should be done under trial or research protocols as much as possible

3. Candidates should have at least 10 year life expectancy, GG2 or low-volume GG3, stage T1 or 2, and PSA < 10 or PSA < 20 and PSAD
< 0.15

4. Candidates need an MRI-guided confirmatory biopsy before treatment

5. Follow-up biopsy at 12 months is essential

The information is very informative and I will discuss with the doctor. Appreciate your sharing this valuable information.