Bill Hall and his wife Anne run a lumber business in Renfrew, Ontario.  At age 76, Bill is out in the yard all day, heavily involved in the day-to-day activities of the business.

So when Bill’s urologist recommended hormone therapy followed by radiation to treat Bill’s prostate cancer, the couple were very concerned.  “We were going to have to travel to Ottawa, 100 km away, five days a week for seven weeks,” Bill says. “Plus the radiation wouldn’t start for a few months, so I would be dealing with this for a long time.”

Then Bill heard about HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound), a non-invasive prostate cancer treatment, and called a private Toronto clinic for more information.  “It seemed like it would be different than the radiation,” he said, “and I was so pleased when they told me they could perform the procedure in two weeks, and I’d be home in two days.”

HIFU is a procedure in which a probe placed into the rectum emits a focused sound wave at the prostate, quickly raising the temperature and destroying the cells. This process is repeated until all the prostate tissue is destroyed. The treatment usually takes 1-3 hours, depending on prostate size.

The HIFU treatment has been used in Europe for several years and for two years in Canada, primarily on patients with T1 or T2 cancer localized in the prostate. It is available in countries all over the world, though not in the US. Health Canada has licensed two HIFU systems:  Ablatherm® (2003) (http://www.hifu.ca), operating in Don Mills, Ontario, and Sonablate® 500 (2005) (http://www.can-amhifu.com), operating in downtown Toronto.  HIFU is not covered by most insurance companies, and the procedure costs approximately $20,000 CDN.

Clinical studies show that 85–95% of qualified patients undergoing HIFU therapy, using either system, will not require further treatment for prostate cancer. The studies show a low percentage of incontinence and urethral stenosis (narrowing) following the procedure. Impotence results vary widely, depending on the location of the cancer.

Bill's urologist did not recommend HIFU because Bill's Gleason score was high (8). Bill sought a second opinion from another urologist, who convinced him that HIFU was appropriate in his case, and, in January 2007, Bill travelled to Don Mills with his wife, to undergo treatment at the Ablatherm facility.

The procedure caused “close to zero pain,” and Bill easily managed the train-ride back to Ottawa the next day.  Bill says the catheter was a “nuisance” (it stayed in for two weeks), and he experienced slight incontinence for a day or so after the catheter came out.  He continues to have difficulty with impotence, but has been told this will clear up in a few months.

Three months after the procedure, Bill’s PSA level was slightly higher, which is considered normal. Bill’s next PSA, six months after the treatment, will indicate whether the procedure has removed all the cancer.

For now, though, Bill is happy with the HIFU treatment. “I was pleased that my general well-being was unchanged, that the procedure time was short, and that I didn’t have to deal with the side effects of hormones and radiation treatment.”

 “If my next PSA tests show the cancer is gone, I would consider this a home run.”

The HIFU treatment is not appropriate for all prostate cancer patients.  For more information about HIFU, including comparisons between Ablatherm® and Sonablate® 500 systems, clinical studies, doctor contact information, and patient stories, visit

Ablatherm – http://www.hifu.ca

Sonablate – http://www.can-amhifu.com

Patient forums discussing the Canadian procedures can be found at http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,3457,0.htm