Elderly men treated with CoreTherm® for benign prostatic hyperplasia have lower risk for a prostate cancer diagnosis later in life compared to men treated with TURP, according to a new Swedish register study

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition among older men caused by an enlarged prostate gland. When invasive treatment for BPH is considered necessary, TURP remains the standard surgical treatment. However, other procedures are available including CoreTherm® Concept which is a minimal invasive transurethral microwave thermotherapy.

BPH is a non-malignant condition but may coexist with incidental prostate cancer. The background and hypothesis for the published study was that intraprostatic hyperthermia achieved during CoreTherm® Concept treatments may kill incidental prostate cancer cells and influence prostate cancer-related occurrence and death later in life.

In the study all men treated with TURP (n= 74,527) or CoreTherm® Concept (n= 4,686) for BPH in Sweden during January 1999 and December 2019 were identified in the National Patient Register. Using the individually unique national registration numbers assigned to all Swedish citizens, the treated men were linked to the National Cancer Register and National Cause of Death Register.

The results showed that elderly men (≥71 years of age) treated with CoreTherm® Concept for BPH had a reduced risk for a prostate cancer diagnosis later in life compared to those treated with TURP. The results also showed that elderly men treated with CoreTherm® Concept had a significant decreased risk for prostate cancer-related death compared to patients treated with TURP.

“CoreTherm® is a well-documented treatment with excellent results for men with BPH. That we in this study have shown that CoreTherm® could also potentially influence the risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer is, of course, very interesting. There are several different mechanisms that could explain these results. One is that undiagnosed prostate cancer might be directly destroyed during the treatment. During a CoreTherm® procedure, a certain amount of heat spreads to parts of the prostate outside the intended treatment area. This increase in temperature is not sufficient to damage benign prostate tissue, but cancer cells are more sensitive to heat than normal cells. This heat increase could therefore kill any undetected cancer cells, which might reduce the risk of diagnosed prostate cancer later in life. Another possible mechanism is that the heat distribution activates the cell-mediated immune response, which in turn may lead to the attack and elimination of cancer cells. However, it is important to emphasize that further studies are needed to confirm the conclusions of this study or before we radically change how we treat benign prostatic hyperplasia," said Fredrik Stenmark, the main author of the study.

“These new data showing that CoreTherm® not only effectively improves symptoms of BPH but may also influence the risk of prostate cancer later in life, further strengthen CoreTherm® as an attractive treatment option for BPH patients. With the launch of CoreTherm® Eagle, we are excited to provide clinics across Europe the opportunity to offer this proven treatment to their BPH patients" said Anders Kristensson, CEO of ProstaLund AB.

Link to full publication.

Stenmark F et al. Does the CoreTherm® Concept Offering Transurethral Microwave Temperature Feedback Thermotherapy or Transurethral Resection of Prostate for Benign Obstruction have an Impact on Long-term Risk for Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality? Results from a Long time Nationwide Observational Cohort Investigation. J Nephrol Urol Andrology. 2024;2(2):01-08.

Note: The intended use of CoreTherm® is treatment of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). CoreTherm® is not intended for the treatment of prostate cancer.