InSightec said 23 patients with organ-confined low-risk prostate cancer have been treated with its ExAblate(R) system in clinical trials, showing promising initial results.

The goal of the trials is to demonstrate the feasibility of using the ExAblate(R) MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) system in endorectal prostate treatments and to assess the safety and preliminary effectiveness of the treatment. The trials were approved by local ethic committees.

The treatment varies from focal treatment to near whole gland ablation depending on the clinical decision of the investigators. Out of 24 treatments in 23 patients, five were near total gland ablation preserving potent patients' urinary sphincter and neurovascular bundles and 18 were focal treatments. None of the treatments triggered Severe Adverse Events during or after treatment and none required post treatment intervention.

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among men.

Approximately 900,000 new cases are diagnosed annually in the world. Treatment options include prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland), radiation therapy, brachytherapy (implantation of radioactive seeds) and cryotherapy. However, current treatment options are associated with a high level of adverse events among them impotence and incontinence which significantly impair the quality of life of prostate cancer patients.

Clinical trials are ongoing at four sites: Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; The National Cancer Centre Singapore; The NN Petrov Institute of Oncology, St. Petersburg, Russia; and the Jaslok Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, India. InSightec plans to expand the prostate clinical trials to additional sites.