VTP TOOKAD®: focal therapy for prostate cancer treatment with a minimal risk of complications
Don't know where to start? Leave us a request, and the Booking Health team will arrange your trip for treatment in Germany, where you will improve the quality of life and health.
Patients with an established diagnosis of prostate cancer often face a difficult choice: either to undergo invasive treatment that may cause severe side effects or to choose a watchful waiting strategy while maintaining quality of life but risking disease progression. VTP TOOKAD® focal therapy is an innovative solution that allows for the destruction of tumor cells with a minimal risk of complications and a short recovery period.
About Prostate Cancer in Numbers
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men and the third leading cause of cancer deaths after lung and colon cancer. The European Association of Urology estimates that 1.4 million cases of this disease were diagnosed worldwide in 2020. Approximately 365,000 people in the European Union are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and about 77,000 of them die from the disease. The proportion of men with early stages of prostate cancer is, however, quite high and reaches 35%.
Early treatment for prostate cancer significantly improves patient's chances of survival. In addition, timely detection and treatment can help to reduce the risks of complications such as urinary incontinence and impotence, as well as preserve the quality of life for men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer Treatment: Surgery
Radical prostatectomy is one of the most common treatments for prostate cancer today. It implies surgical removal of the prostate along with the tumor. Radical prostatectomy is indicated for intermediate-risk and/or high-risk prostate cancer patients, though in both cases a choice is possible between radiotherapy and surgery.
Nowadays, multiple minimally invasive techniques as well as robotic-assisted approaches are used to perform radical prostatectomy. However, this approach still comes with a number of significant risks. Thus, in a 2022 study of 1,062 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, 310 (or 29.2%) experienced some form of postoperative complications. Among the most common long-term complications following surgical treatment of prostate cancer are urinary incontinence (up to 40% of patients experience it) and erection problems (up to 69% of men experience it after radical prostatectomy).
A modern alternative to radical prostatectomy is focal therapy for prostate cancer, in particular vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP).
Innovative Focal Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Focal therapy for prostate cancer is a progressive method in leading European clinics for treating men with a single discrete tumor or several foci in one half of the prostate. The most advanced technology in this field is the use of TOOKAD® – a new long-wavelength photosensitizer based on palladium bacteriopheophorbide, which targets the vessels of the prostate.
TOOKAD VTP is a minimally invasive procedure in which photosensitive drugs are first administered to visualize malignant prostate cells. A device inserted rectally then delivers targeted radiation of a specific wavelength to these cells. As a result, the tumor is precisely destroyed while healthy, cancer-free prostate tissue is preserved. For successful focal therapy, it is essential to identify prostate tumors accurately and cautiously. This is achieved through a combination of biopsy and imaging techniques.
It is also important to know that TOOKAD as a prostate cancer treatment is suitable for men under the following conditions:
- Prostate cancer is newly diagnosed and localized in one lobe.
- It has a low-risk grade (a Gleason score is below 6), and the predicted life expectancy is more than 10 years.
- The diagnosed clinical stage is T1c or T2a.
- PSA level is ≤ 10 ng/mL.
- The tumor size does not exceed a certain threshold or percentage relative to healthy tissue.
Benefits of VTP TOOKAD Prostate Cancer Treatment
Clinical trials involving patients from 10 countries, including Germany, have proved that TOOKAD® VTP treatment is safe and effective. At the same time, it mostly allows for maintaining erectile function and normal urination in patients, which is extremely important. The European Urology Focus published promising results in 2022 for patients who had low-risk prostate cancer treatment. The clinical trial showed that 71% of patients who underwent vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy were able to maintain their erectile function, compared with 30% of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. Thus, VTP therapy for prostate cancer provides patients with a higher quality of life. In addition, the VTP TOOKAD® procedure usually lasts about 90 minutes and allows patients to return to their normal lives within a few days. The recovery time after such a procedure is much less than after surgery.
Top benefits of focal therapy:
- Healthy tissues remain unaffected, as the waves target only malignant formations.
- Significantly lower risk of side effects.
- Short and simple recovery period.
- High rate of complete cure.
As always with cancer treatment, the patient will need regular follow-up after VTP. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and a control biopsy are used to verify the effectiveness of the treatment.
Why do patients choose Germany for treatment?
- Germany is a leader in the field of focal therapy for localized prostate cancer. In 2022, the country became the first to approve clinical guidelines for the use of this method. Previously, due to the diversity of focal therapy methods and the lack of prospective controlled clinical trials, it was difficult to develop clear international guidelines. Germany has been a pioneer in overcoming this problem.
- The latest update of the German guidelines for the treatment of prostate cancer includes a section on focal photodynamic therapy. The document includes 12 statements and recommendations specific to the use of focal therapy for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. With these guidelines, Germany is setting a new standard for the treatment of localized and locally advanced prostate cancer. The country offers a comprehensive and reliable basis for the implementation of focal therapy, where the VTP procedure plays an important role.
Germany is one of the first countries in the world to introduce VTP TOOKAD®.
Extensive experience in the application of VTP for prostate cancer and comfortable conditions at local clinics are also solid arguments in undergoing treatment at German hospitals.
The VTP prostate cancer treatment in Germany: Cost and Results
The cost of treatment in Germany for the innovative focal therapy procedure is influenced by a number of factors, including:
- the complexity of the patient's case,
- the stage of the disease,
- the specifics of the individual treatment scheme,
- the length of the hospital stay.
In addition, the reputation and location of the hospital may also affect the price.
Among the best hospitals offering this procedure are:
- Hospital Nuremberg,
- Asklepios Hospital Hamburg,
- University Hospital Munich,
- Hospital Nordwest Frankfurt,
- Helios Hospital Berlin.
All these health facilities have state-of-the-art equipment and offer high-quality medical services.
| Type of treatment / Characteristics | Cost, € | Response rate | Treatment duration | 5-year survival rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VTP TOOKAD® for prostate cancer treatment | 8,000 - 15,000 | 49 % of men in 24 months have no cancer signs | The procedure lasts 90 minutes and the recovery period is 48 hours | up to 100 % |
| Radical prostatectomy | 20,000 - 38,000 | Recurrence-free rate 60-90%, increase of overall survival up to 70%** | Depends on the techniques used | 80-95%* |
*Depends on the technique used.
**Depends on the stage of the disease and surgical approach used.
TOOKAD® treatment is performed only by doctors who have completed specialized training in vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy procedures. This ensures high expertise in using this innovative technique.
Prostate Cancer Treatment: Expert Solution and Support
It is important to note that not all insurance packages cover VTP prostate cancer treatment. Booking Health company helps patients from abroad to make the process as comfortable as possible.
Benefits of Booking Health support:
- You will receive help choosing a hospital.
- We provide insurance for complications and unexpected costs.
- Full financial transparency will be ensured.
- The service helps you save up to 70% on treatment costs.
- Patients get access to free consultations with doctors for three months after the main therapy phase.
The importance of early detection and treatment of prostate cancer cannot be underestimated. Timely diagnosis significantly increases the chances of successful treatment and improves survival rates. If localized and detected early, prostate cancer has a five-year survival rate close to 100%. With the development of clinical guidelines for the use of advanced therapies offered by German clinics, the choice of treatment using VTP may be the best solution for you.
Take advantage of advances in prostate cancer treatment and consider the benefits of vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy.
Modern Cancer Treatment: Patient Journeys with Booking Health
Frequently asked questions of our patients
TOOKAD(®) Soluble vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy is an innovative minimally invasive method for treating localized prostate cancer. It targets only parts of the prostate with cancer cells, while keeping the nearby healthy tissues intact and working properly.
Stages of this prostate cancer treatment procedure:
- During the examination phase, the tumor is precisely localized, and a biopsy and laboratory tests are performed.
- The treatment is carried out under general anesthesia.
- The procedure begins with the intravenous administration of TOOKAD® Soluble.
- The injected photosensitizer is activated by laser fibers using TOOKAD® at a specific light wavelength.
- As a result, malignant tissues are damaged and simultaneously coagulated.
This treatment is suitable for adult patients with prostate cancer localized in one lobe. A necessary condition for treatment is a diagnosed low-grade cancer with a PSA level of ≤ 10 ng/mL, previously untreated, and an expected life expectancy of more than 10 years.
TOOKAD as a prostate cancer treatment has the following benefits:
- Minimally invasive method.
- Short recovery period.
- Lower risks of erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence.
- High percentage 2-year survival rate with no signs of cancer.
Side effects are less common compared to traditional methods and may resolve in the short term. However, they may include:
- Urinary retention or incontinence.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Photosensitivity of the skin and eyes (it is important to avoid light exposure during the first 48 hours after the procedure).
It is important to follow the recovery recommendations:
- For the first 6 hours after the procedure, the patient remains under medical supervision in the clinic, in a dimly lit room, wearing protective glasses.
- The patient may be discharged on the same day but must avoid daylight and bright artificial lighting for the first 12 hours.
- The use of gadgets and watching TV is restricted for the first 6 hours.
- For the first 48 hours, patients must fully protect themselves from light with clothing and try to stay in shaded areas when going outside.
After 48 hours, all restrictions are lifted.
Research shows that about half of the patients with low-risk prostate cancer who received TOOKAD treatment showed no clear signs of cancer after two years.
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
See the interview for more information:
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Our editorial policy, which details our commitment to accuracy and transparency, is available here. Click this link to review our policies.
Sources:
NIH, National Library of Medicine
Read:
Innovative treatment methods for prostate cancer
Immunotherapy for prostate cancer in Germany
