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Anyone have info about irreversible electroporation (IRE) treatment?

Posted by kmat @kmat, Aug 2 10:40am

I've just come across a referencc to IRE, a kind of focal prostate treatment. Has anyone experience with it or information? Thanks.

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milburnd | @milburnd | Aug 3 7:04am

I had IRE treatment in January 2024 at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Here's are some things to consider and my story:

1) Request a decipher test on the tissue from your biopsy. This is a step beyond the Gleason score and helps determine how aggressive your cancer is.

2) Give thought to getting a second opinion from a Cancer Center of Excellence. Here's a link:
https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find
3) If your tumor(s) are contained within the prostate, focal treatment is something to consider. These treatments use a variety of ways to kill the tumor(s) without removal or radiation. Look up things like HIFU, cryotherapy, Irreversible Electroporation (IRE), and others.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/focal-therapy-for-prostate-cancer
My PSA score that got the urologist's attention was 4.25. A follow-up MRI indicated two tumors, both contained within the prostate. My biopsy showed a Gleason score of 3+4=7 (intermediate risk) and my decipher results indicated low risk, making me a candidate for active surveillance or focal therapy. I chose focal treatment because one of the tumors was abutting the edge of the prostate. I had the IRE treatment in January 2024. After the treatment, I had some relatively mild incontinence which has mostly cleared up. I also had some blood in my urine for about six weeks after the treatment, but that has totally cleared up. My sexual function is unchanged from before the treatment. My PSA in April was down to 1.53. I'm scheduled for a follow-up MRI in August to see how well the treatment worked. Dr. Pow-Sang said that if there is an indication that the IRE was not totally effective, I can consider an addition IRE treatment, removal or radiation.

Focal treatment is definitely not for everyone, but with the proper set of circumstances, it is a treatment worth considering.

Best wishes for a great outcome!

REPLY
1 reply
kmat | @kmat | Aug 3 7:15am
In reply to @milburnd "I had IRE treatment in January 2024 at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Here's are some..." + (show)
@milburnd

I had IRE treatment in January 2024 at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Here's are some things to consider and my story:

1) Request a decipher test on the tissue from your biopsy. This is a step beyond the Gleason score and helps determine how aggressive your cancer is.

2) Give thought to getting a second opinion from a Cancer Center of Excellence. Here's a link:
https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find
3) If your tumor(s) are contained within the prostate, focal treatment is something to consider. These treatments use a variety of ways to kill the tumor(s) without removal or radiation. Look up things like HIFU, cryotherapy, Irreversible Electroporation (IRE), and others.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/focal-therapy-for-prostate-cancer
My PSA score that got the urologist's attention was 4.25. A follow-up MRI indicated two tumors, both contained within the prostate. My biopsy showed a Gleason score of 3+4=7 (intermediate risk) and my decipher results indicated low risk, making me a candidate for active surveillance or focal therapy. I chose focal treatment because one of the tumors was abutting the edge of the prostate. I had the IRE treatment in January 2024. After the treatment, I had some relatively mild incontinence which has mostly cleared up. I also had some blood in my urine for about six weeks after the treatment, but that has totally cleared up. My sexual function is unchanged from before the treatment. My PSA in April was down to 1.53. I'm scheduled for a follow-up MRI in August to see how well the treatment worked. Dr. Pow-Sang said that if there is an indication that the IRE was not totally effective, I can consider an addition IRE treatment, removal or radiation.

Focal treatment is definitely not for everyone, but with the proper set of circumstances, it is a treatment worth considering.

Best wishes for a great outcome!

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Dear milburnd,

I'm grateful for your clear and helpful response and information. I am anticipating the outcomes of my biopsy that is scheduled for Monday at TGH Brandon. I understand that all the radiation types have the same outcome in terms of killing the cancer but radiation may bring the risk of secondary cancer down the line. I'm leaning toward proton therapy at Orlando as I live in St Pete. I had hoped Moffit would offer proton therapy but not for another year at best. Thank you.

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