Less invasive treatment for prostate cancer being tested in Philly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A new less invasive treatment for prostate cancer is being tested at the Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Doctors say this could be the technology of the future. A new kind of therapy leaves the prostate in place while just killing the cancer.
"I'm right out there doing everything I was doing before," Ron Poling said.
Months after being treated for prostate cancer Poling is back to his regular routine in the gym.
"This was a very precise procedure," Poling said.
He's among the first to try a new treatment being researched at Fox Chase that targets just the cancer cells without causing collateral damage.
"Being able to treat the prostate cancer and leave the prostate in place has a lot of attractiveness," Dr. David Chen said. "This may be the ideal technology."
Dr. Chen says the NanoKnife System appears to eliminate serious side effects like incontinence and impotence associated with many traditional prostate cancer treatments.
"I liked the sounds of this," Poling said.
The NanoKnife System uses special needle like probes charged with electrical energy to kill malignant cells. It's being tested in a clinical trial called PRESERVE to determine if the cancer stays away for a year or more.
"Here we're kind of balancing cancer treatment but also keeping the patient with good functional outcomes," Dr. Andres Correa said.
Dr. Correa says the treatment can only be used on certain patients with localized cancer.
"The treatment space can't be greater than two centimeters," Correa said.
Poling was diagnosed as his wife was dying from ovarian cancer. Having lived through that heartbreaking ordeal, he and his family are relieved his cancer appears to be under control now with him focused on a new passion of pickleball.
"My PSA before the procedure was 8.4 and after the procedure, it was 1.5," Poling said. "This is excellent."
PSA is a standard blood test that checks for prostate cancer. It's recommended for men 50 and older.