Ep. 317 Focal Therapy in Prostate Cancer Treatment with Dr. George R. Schade

Ep. 317 Focal Therapy in Prostate Cancer Treatment with Dr. George R. Schade

July 16, 2026 · 48 min

About this episode

This episode explores the role of focal therapy as a treatment option for prostate cancer, discussing various modalities and patient management strategies.

Can focal therapy truly “thread the needle” between active surveillance and radical prostate cancer treatment? In this episode of BackTable Urology, host Dr. Tiwa Akinsola is joined by Dr. George Schade from the University of Washington to explore focal therapy as a middle ground between active surveillance and radical treatments. Dr. Schade reviews non-radiation energy modalities including HIFU, TULSA/HI-DU, cryotherapy, and irreversible electroporation, highlighting patient selection, institutional experience, technical nuances, and quality-of-life outcomes from recent trials. --- Get the BackTable apphttps://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps00:00 - Introduction02:09 - Overview of Focal Therapy Modalities04:46 - Deciding Between HIFU and IRE06:56 - Evidence and Trials09:40 - Counseling Patients on Outcomes12:09 - Building a Focal Therapy Program16:12 - Navigating Insurance and Appeals21:48 - Managing Large Glands And TURP25:12 - Preop Workup Essentials and OR Workflow32:32 - Overcoming the Learning Curve35:52 - PostOp Recovery and Surveillance39:04 - Options for Managing Recurrence42:44 - Challenges with Repeat Ablation44:56 - Final Takeaways --- More about this episodeThe…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Tiwa Akinsola

Guest: Dr. George R. Schade

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Washington

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