Excellent Experience with Sonablate HIFU for Prostate Cancer in Japan

Just wanted to share my excellent experience to-date with having HIFU treatment for prostate cancer with Dr. Uchida in Japan (had the treatment on March 12, 2011).

I went with Dr. Uchida because he is one of the most experienced HIFU doctors. The price for the treatment was only $15,000 including pre-operative examinations (prostate ultrasound, EKG, chest x-ray, blood test etc), 5-night (usually 4-night) hospital stay, transportation from the airport, meals etc. I liked the fact that I did not have to go to my regular doctors for the pre-operative examinations. My wife could stay with me in another bed in the hospital room. The hospital staff was great, treating us as special guests instead of just a patient. The only down side was that the nurses did not speak English well, but they tried very hard with their English and were always pleasant.

I started feeling great as soon as the local spinal anesthesia used during HIFU wore off. By the next morning, I felt practically normal with no pain, with only a mild nuisance of having to wear a urethral catheter. Was able to do the touristy things that day without any problem. By the way, I like the urethral catheter because I don’t have to wear any bag and I just have to take a stopper out of the catheter opening whenever my bladder gives me a signal that it is time to urinate.

No issues with bladder or bowels to-date. The catheter comes out in another 5 days. Hopefully, everything will continue to be great after that.

It's such an exciting feeling, knowing you ducked the bullet and didn't even break the bank!  I had heard the doctors in Japan were cheaper, thanks for telling us the price. And they are very experienced.  There's a urologist surgeon in Puerto Vallarta named Dr. Carlos Garcia who also charges $15,000.  I guess thats what all the doctors who don't have to travel or pay into our insurance system charge.  The USA is one screwed up country!

I am very happy to hear of your great success!  My husband also had HIFU, but he paid $25,000. over two years ago, it was the best money we ever spent.  We still keep in touch with our doctor (Scionti).

HIFU needs to get more press, I feel terrible when I hear someone had surgery or radiation.....I wish I could scream it from the roof tops!!

Congradulations!! 

It is great that your husband also had great success with HIFU treatment. This is definitely the best treatment for prostate cancer right now.

Just want to clarify that Dr. Garcia's price of $15,000 in Puerto Vallarta seems to apply only if you live in Mexico. He quoted me a price of $25,000, the same as the price charged by all the US doctors working through International HIFU.

Thanks for that info akt1000, i didn't know that.  But I guess it makes sense as he belongs to International HIFU, so he would have to give them a cut, and the cut is $10.000. for Scionti.  What a drag.  But Japan is brilliant, as long as you don't go when they drop into the ocean...

The earthquakes can happen anywhere, specially on the US and Mexico west coast. So, one can't plan life based on that!

Did feel the big earthquake in Japan on March 11, but fortunately, there was no damage in the city (Otsuki), where I was. And my HIFU treatment on March 12 was done on schedule.

Just an update since my last post on the subject.

Everything continues to go very well. The urinary stream was weak for a few days after taking out the urethral catheter, but now it is as good as ever. There is no urinary urgency or leakage. The bladder capacity is better than it had been for the last 2-3 years. There are no bowel problems. There is no problem with erection.

The first suggested date for PSA test is 3 months after the HIFU treatment because the nadir (lowest level) is reached in 3 to 6 months after the treatment. But out of curiosity, I decided to have one done earlier this week (5+ weeks after the treatment). Was happy to know that the PSA is already down to 1.7 from 6.5 in November 2010 (or probably from a little higher value in early March before the treatment). Thus, I am very hopeful that the PSA nadir will be below 0.5, indicating that the single HIFU treatment is sufficient and the second one will not be needed.