BERKELEY, CA (UroToday.com) - Treatment of localized prostate cancer with an easy and inexpensive minimally-invasive technique having very low complications and morbidity rates remains a cherished dream for all urologists. This is especially true in the present era where the robotic prostatectomy is under criticism for the high treatment cost. It seems that ablating the localized prostate cancer using percutaneous, transrectal or transurethral approaches could result in lower morbidity with good results. Extensive research is continuing for finding such a technique.
Ablating the prostatic tissue using chemicals injected directly into the prostate has been a well-accepted treatment modality for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. Many chemicals -- alone and in mixtures -- have been used by different groups, who have reported good results with low morbidity associated with this relatively simple procedure.
Applying the same concept for ablating prostatic cancer tissue with locally injected chemicals would mean an effective treatment option with a low cost and morbidity. Unfortunately there have been no reports of an ideal chemical that would successfully ablate the prostate cancer and yet be safe for use in humans.
We went through literature and evaluated the reported chemicals that have been used for injecting the prostate in humans as the safety of these chemicals in humans has already been well established. Our promising results from the initial laboratory in vitro studies enabled us to select 'acetic acid' for evaluating its effects in treating prostate cancer tumors in an animal model.
Our study gives the details of encouraging results of acetic acid in treating prostate cancer by direct intra-tumoral injection. Also, we overcame the initial challenge of finding the safe and effective concentration and dose of acetic acid which could be evaluated in humans.
Written by:
Jasneet Singh Bhullar MD, MS as part of Beyond the Abstract on UroToday.com. This initiative offers a method of publishing for the professional urology community. Authors are given an opportunity to expand on the circumstances, limitations etc... of their research by referencing the published abstract.
Department of Surgery, Providence Hospital & Medical Centers, Southfield, MI, USA
Intratumoral acetic acid injection eradicates human prostate cancer tumors in a murine model - Abstract
More Information about Beyond the Abstract