Robotic Surgery After Focal Ablation Therapy (RAFT)

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Robotic Salvage Surgery After Focal Ablation Therapy (RAFT)

  • IRAS ID

    138345

  • Contact name

    Paul Cathcart

  • Contact email

    p.cathcart@qmul.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Queen Mary University of London

  • Research summary

    Conventional treatments for localised prostate cancer have treated the whole of the prostate rather than targeting areas of cancer within the prostate. As a result, these therapies have been associated with side effects related to damage to important structures around the prostate including the rectum, the urinary sphincter controlling urinary continence and the nerves responsible for erectile function. A new and novel approach has been developed where the areas of the prostate harbouring the cancer are treated rather than the whole prostate gland – this approach is termed focal therapy.

    While this approach holds much promise, up to one third of men undergoing focal therapy experience disease recurrence. Currently we do not know what the best treatment for these men. Traditionally, surgical removal of the prostate has been technically difficult in men that have undergone previous prostate cancer treatment such as radiotherapy and as a result, the side effects of surgery in this setting have been more common.

    However, the side effects associated with surgery after focal therapy may be less common than after conventional therapies where the whole of the prostate is treated as the structures surrounding the prostate are less likely to have been affected by the initial prostate cancer therapy.

    In the RAFT study, we will report the safety and toxicity of salvage robotic assisted radical prostatectomy in men that have recurrent prostate cancer after undergoing focal prostate cancer therapy.

  • REC name

    London - City & East Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    14/LO/0132

  • Date of REC Opinion

    4 Apr 2014

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion