The Urology Department at the Academician L. Dérer Hospital in Kramáry has performed a unique prostate cancer treatment for the first time in Slovakia using the innovative TMA method (Targeted Microwave Ablation).
The introduction of this innovative method at the Kramáry Urology Department was supported by Prof. MUDr. Eduard Baco, MD, PhD, from the Urology Clinic of Oslo University Hospital, and Prof. Alexandre Peltier, Head of the Urology Clinic at the Jules Bordet Institute in Brussels, both leading experts in the diagnosis and focal treatment of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men. Its incidence increases as average life expectancy rises. If the disease is detected at an advanced stage, treatment may no longer be effective. Therefore, developed countries, including Slovakia, focus on the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. When detected at an early stage, patients can be offered curative treatment.
These include radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy using ionising radiation, and several minimally invasive treatment methods, including microwave ablation, which is indicated for patients with a small tumour volume.
Over the past two years, we have renewed equipment in our hospital worth millions of euros. Thanks also to funding from the European Union, our departments are equipped with state-of-the-art devices that play an irreplaceable role in the treatment of patients and can save lives. One of my priorities is to continue providing our patients with the most advanced treatment, comparable to international standards
Alexander Mayer, Director of University Hospital Bratislava.
Focal treatment of prostate cancer is an innovative approach that is currently performed mainly at leading institutions abroad. The TMA method uses microwave energy targeted directly at the tumour tissue. It is a minimally invasive method indicated for localised stages of the disease. Precise targeting using real-time 3D imaging destroys only the tumour cells in the prostate while leaving the rest of the gland intact. This minimises the undesirable effects associated with radical treatment, such as sexual dysfunction and urinary incontinence, which can occur following radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy.
The introduction of the regular use of minimally invasive focal treatment for prostate cancer builds on the existing cooperation between the Urology Department at Kramáry and the Department of Oncology Medicine at Oslo University Hospital. Oslo University Hospital has an excellent international reputation for its innovative solutions and advanced medical technologies.
“The aim of the cooperation is to introduce new treatment methodologies, support the mutual exchange of knowledge, provide professional training for Slovak urologists and create conditions for clinical studies, which will contribute to improving the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in Slovakia,” said doc. MUDr. Branislav Trebatický, PhD, Head of the Urology Department.
The main advantages of the innovative TMA method are:
- Most patients maintain their sexual function after TMA treatment.
- Based on current knowledge, TMA treatment is not expected to cause permanent urinary incontinence, which can occur following the complete removal of the prostate due to tumour disease (radical prostatectomy).
- Instead of a prolonged hospital stay, patients can usually leave the hospital the day after treatment.
- The minimally invasive treatment is relatively straightforward to perform and can also be considered for elderly patients and patients with more serious health conditions who are unsuitable for radical treatment.
