Preston C. Sprenkle, MD presented “Margin Call: Focal vs. Regional Ablation” during the 2023 Frontiers in Oncologic Prostate Care and Ablative Local Therapy symposium on November 10, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois.

How to cite: Sprenkle, Preston C. Margin Call: Focal vs. Regional Ablation.” November, 2023. Accessed Aug 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/margin-call-focal-vs-regional-ablation

Margin Call: Focal vs. Regional Ablation Summary

Preston C. Sprenkle, MD, analyzes focal versus regional ablation in prostate cancer treatment, examining the nuances and outcomes associated with each approach. His discussion centers on the effectiveness, risks, and clinical decision-making processes involved in choosing between these two strategies.

Dr. Sprenkle highlights the advantages of focal ablation, including reduced side effects, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Dr. Sprenkle also discusses the potential benefits of regional ablation, particularly in patients with multifocal or higher-risk disease.

Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) and targeted biopsies play crucial roles in mapping the extent of the disease and guiding the ablation strategy. Dr. Sprenkle underscores the need for a personalized approach, considering factors such as tumor size, location, Gleason score, and patient comorbidities. The discussion also covers the technical aspects and outcomes of both ablation techniques, with data on success rates, complications, and long-term efficacy.

 Dr. Sprenkle highlights future directions in prostate cancer ablation, including advancements in imaging, robotic assistance, and the integration of novel therapeutic agents to enhance precision and effectiveness.

Frontiers in Oncologic Prostate Care and Ablative Local Therapy (FOCAL) is an outstanding program on prostate imaging, transperineal interventions, and ablative treatments for prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Bringing together community-based, academic, and industry partners, FOCAL offers lectures by world-renowned faculty and hands-on training workshops on in-office transperineal interventions, fusion-guided prostate ablation and state-of-the-art BPH management with novel technologies. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Preston C. Sprenkle, MD, is an Associate Professor of Urology at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. He also serves as Director of the Urology Research Fellowship and Urologic Oncology Clinical Fellowship Program at Yale, and as Division Chief of Urology in the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. Dr. Sprenkle has dedicated his career to using the latest imaging technologies to improve diagnosis. He was one of the first physicians nationwide to implement the use of the Artemis Device, and he is also a pioneer in focal therapy. In his practice, Dr. Sprenkle believes in working with patients to come up with individualized treatment plans to minimize the impact of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment on their health and quality of life. His research focuses on biomarkers for prostate and kidney cancer, including the biomarker NGAL for acute kidney injury in surgical patients.