Focal Therapy: A Targeted Approach to Cancer Treatment

November is traditionally dedicated to raising awareness and promoting prevention of prostate cancer, one of the most common malignancies affecting men. This initiative serves as an important opportunity to encourage early diagnosis and to share information about new therapeutic approaches that allow the disease to be treated in increasingly targeted and less invasive ways. In this context, scientific research and technological innovation have opened up new treatment perspectives, including focal therapy—a strategy that selectively targets the cancerous lesion while preserving organ function and improving the patient’s quality of life.

1. What is focal therapy, and in which cases is it used in the treatment of prostate cancer?
We discuss this with Professor Costantino Leonardo, urologist at Arsbiomedica Clinic.

Focal therapy is a non-invasive therapeutic option that provides precise, localized treatment aimed at destroying only the portion of the prostate affected by cancer. It is used for treating localized prostate cancer that is classified as low or intermediate risk.

2. Why is the “focal” approach receiving so much attention today? How does it differ from traditional treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy?

The goal of the focal approach is to treat the tumor while minimizing the side effects associated with more radical treatments. Unlike traditional therapies, focal therapy intervenes only where necessary, selectively treating the diseased area instead of surgically removing or irradiating the entire prostate.

3. What are the main benefits of focal therapy in terms of the patient’s quality of life?

The key advantages for the patient’s quality of life include:

• Faster recovery and shorter hospital stays compared with surgical approaches

• Preservation of urinary and sexual function thanks to the selective nature of focal therapy

• Fewer post-operative complications

• Reduced psychological impact, as most patients can return to their normal activities within just a few days

4. How does this approach reduce the risk of side effects such as incontinence or erectile dysfunction?

The most advanced robotic focal therapies allow clinicians to precisely plan the treatment exclusively on the tumor’s target area. This means that the structures essential for continence and erectile function can be preserved.

Because the urinary sphincters (which control continence) and the neurovascular bundles (crucial for erectile function) are left intact, the risk of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction is significantly lower compared with radical treatments such as surgery.