CLINICAL TRIAL TESTS ULTRASOUND WAVES ON PROSTATE CANCER.

In a clinical trial at Duke University Medical Center, researchers are testing the use of high-intensity sound waves to treat early-stage prostate cancer. The nonsurgical technique, which is widely used in Europe, is not FDA-approved for use in the U.S.

The purpose of the trial is to test the safety and effectiveness of the technique, called high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), as the initial treatment in men with newly-diagnosed, localized prostate cancer. Researchers will compare the technique with cryotherapy, a common treatment that involves freezing the prostate gland.

According to Christopher Schneider, president of medical devices at HealthTronics, Inc., the company sponsoring the clinical trial, different types of HIFU technology have been tested in clinical trials at Indiana University School of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and the University of …