109: Using Electrical Pulses (The NanoKnife System) to Treat Prostate Tumors – L. Spencer Krane, MD

There is a new treatment option available now that can precisely target prostate lesions with electrical pulses, while helping preserve sexual function and urinary control. Whether you or a loved one has prostate disease, or you are a urologist considering this technology for your practice, you will not want to miss today’s discussion on this innovative new option.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, so we have a special episode today to kick it off. We are excited to welcome the distinguished urologist, Dr. Spencer Krane, to the Prostate Health Podcast. Dr. Krane is the Chief of Urology at the US Department of Veterans Affairs in New Orleans, Louisiana. He specializes in personalized medicine for patients with urologic malignancies, aiming to use new biomarkers, genomic classifications, epigenetic signatures, and advanced imaging modalities, including MRI-guided prostate biopsies, to offer his patients individualized care that improves cancer outcomes while minimizing therapy side effects.

Dr. Krane has published extensively in urologic journals, and his work was selected to provide guidelines for urologic care. He has 50 peer-reviewed articles in national and international journals and has presented his work internationally, from Chile and Rome to Taiwan, as well as across the United States. We are excited to welcome him today to share his experience with the innovative new NanoKnife system as a treatment option for men with prostate tumors. 

It is exciting to see ongoing innovation in the technology we have available for men with prostate tumors. For the appropriate candidates, this minimally invasive option offers precise targeting of the lesion while helping preserve both sexual function and urinary control. 

Pertinent disclosure for today’s episode – Dr. Krane is a paid consultant for AngioDynamics, Inc., which manufactures and sells the NanoKnife System. The views, information, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of Dr. Krane, and does not necessarily represent those of AngioDynamics, Inc., its affiliates, or subsidiaries. 

Show Highlights:

• Dr. Krane reviews the concept of targeted focal therapy and explains what  the NanoKnife system is

• Who is an ideal candidate for irreversible electroporation with the NanoKnife system?

• The advantages and features of the NanoKnife system  

• Does prostate size or shape limit the candidacy for IRE with the NanoKnife system?

• Would prostate anatomies on the MRI or biopsy exclude a patient from NanoKnife therapy?

• Dr. Krane explains how long it takes to resolve the initial decrease in sexual ability after NanoKnife therapy.  

• Why many patients experience improved urinary function in the long term after having NanoKnife therapy

• Dr. Krane clarifies the time it takes to resolve the initial decrease in sexual ability after being treated with NanoKnife therapy.  

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You can access Dr. Pohlman’s free mini-webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men’s prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.