Irreversible Electroporation for the Focal Treatment of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review

Purpose: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a promising alternative treatment for low-intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer. In this systematic review we aim to evaluate the safety profile and functional and oncological outcomes of this new technique.

Materials and methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus up to 24 August 2023. Nineteen studies were analyzed, including 12 prospective studies and 7 retrospective studies. A total of 1,452 patients underwent IRE as the sole primary treatment modality.

Results: The in-field clinically significant prostate cancer rate was reported between 0%-15.6% in the repeat biopsy. The retreatment rate was reported from 8% to 36.6%. The 3 years failure-free survival was presented between 90%-96.8%. The post-operative pad-free rate ranged between 96.7%-100%. Greater heterogeneity exists considering the change in erectile function. The most common reported complications were urinary tract infection and hematuria. Major complications were rare.

Conclusions: These results underline that IRE achieves favorable oncological control with an excellent safety profile, in the meantime preserving patients' urinary and erectile function.