Canfield Presents at Focal Therapy Society Meeting in Washington, DC
At the recent Focal Therapy Society (FTS) meeting in Washington, DC, Steven E. Canfield, MD, professor and chief of the division of urology in the department of surgery, was invited to speak on the future of focal therapy, with an emphasis on the development of clinical guidelines. His presentation contributed to key discussions shaping the future of patient care in this rapidly evolving field.
FTS, an international society committed to advancing urological care, recognized Canfield’s ongoing contributions not only through his lecture but also during a session highlighting the year’s Top 5 Clinical Trials. His recently published paper, “A Multi-Institutional Study of Magnetic Resonance/Ultrasound Fusion-Guided Nanoparticle-Directed Focal Therapy for Prostate Ablation,” was honored among the top trials, underscoring the significant impact of his work on prostate cancer treatment.
The study was an open-label, single-arm, multi-center trial of focal prostate ablation using novel gold nanoparticles, which are tumor-specifically activated in situ by near-infrared laser light. The particles were developed in the Halas lab at Rice University. The current study reports on outcomes from the initial clinical trial cohort of 45 men. At one year, the ablation zone cancer-free rate was 73% overall, and near 90% from our individual site. The study is important as the first in human feasibility trial of nanoparticle-directed focal laser therapy for prostate cancer. The technology is currently under review by the FDA.
The Focal Therapy Society serves as a global platform for clinicians and researchers to collaborate, share knowledge, and advance minimally invasive treatments for localized prostate cancer, improving patient outcomes through innovative techniques.