Technologies Tackle Early-Stage Prostate Cancer

Dr. Steven Guarnaccia is seen under the hood, on the R, as he operates the da Vinci robot during prostate surgery at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

"No, it's not a panacea. No treatment is a panacea," says William Orovan, the president of Maple HIFU, which offers HIFU treatment in Toronto, and a professor at McMaster University. "But the results are very good. The side effects are minimal. The risks low." And if the tumor returns, you can still fall back on radiation or surgery, he says.

Experience counts. Unless HIFU gets the nod from the FDA and insurance plans start covering it, the procedure will be an option only for economically advantaged patients. In the meantime, patients who opt for surgery should consider not only technique, experts say, but also a surgeon's skill.

"The surgeon is more important than the procedure," says Smith. He recommends that men seek out an experienced surgeon whom they can trust, and then let that doctor decide whether to do the procedure robotically or not.

Where to Find Robotic Prostatectomy or HIFU

* Robotic prostatectomy is available at hospitals across the country. Intuitive Surgical, the maker of the equipment, keeps a database of hospitals that have the da Vinci Surgical System.

* While high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) isn't generally available in the United States, you can search for American experimental trials involving the technology at http://clinicaltrials.gov/. Prostate cancer patients who meet certain requirements can join a trial.

* For a hefty fee, companies such as USHIFU and Maple Leaf HIFU will help Americans travel abroad for HIFU treatment.