Prostate Institute of New England

09/30/2026

As September comes to an end, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month may be ending, but awareness should continue all 365 days of the year. 🎗️💙

For our final post of September, we want to share a message of hope and options for men facing prostate cancer.

A newly published study in European Urology reports 10-year outcomes from 3,477 men treated with focal HIFU or cryotherapy across 14 centers in the UK. The study found very low rates of prostate cancer-specific mortality and metastasis at 10 years, adding important long-term evidence to the growing field of focal therapy. The authors conclude that focal HIFU and cryotherapy could be considered for carefully selected men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer, alongside other treatment approaches.

At PINE, we are excited to add another option to our focal therapy program: Fusion HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) using Sonablate, an incisionless approach that uses focused ultrasound energy to ablate targeted prostate tissue. We are the first in New England to perform a fusion-guided HIFU with Sonoblate.

Together with Cryoablation and IRE (Irreversible Electroporation), PINE now offers a broader range of focal therapy options than any other facility in New England.

Our technologies include:

• Sonablate Corp. HIFU
• Agiliti HIFU support
• The NanoKnife System IRE
• Varian Cryoablation
• Philips Uronav MRI-ultrasound fusion guidance

For men diagnosed with prostate cancer, having options matters. The right treatment depends on the individual patient, the location and characteristics of the cancer, and a careful discussion with a prostate cancer specialist.

Awareness may have a month, but the conversation continues every day.

Read the new 10-year study in European Urology: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2026.05.007

09/22/2026

Advancing the Next Era of Urologic Innovation.

Dr. Louis Liou recently attended and presented research at the 2026 Focal Therapy Society (FTS) and Society of Urologic Robotic Surgeons (SURS) Joint Meeting in Arlington, VA, bringing together clinicians, researchers, and industry leaders advancing focal therapy, imaging, robotics, and minimally invasive urologic care.

The meeting brought together experts to explore emerging advances in focal therapy, imaging, artificial intelligence, and robotic surgery and their application in clinical practice.

Dr. Liou also contributed to two poster presentations:

“Fluorescence-Guided Water V***r Therapy: A Translatable Model for Ablation Confirmation and Urethral Preservation in Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer,” which utilized Activ Surgical's technology.

“Measurement of Prostatic Urethral Length Using a Novel Time-of-Flight–Based Endoscopic 3D Camera,” in collaboration with Lambda Surgical.

We are grateful to the Focal Therapy Society and Society of Urologic Robotic Surgeons for bringing together an outstanding group of experts and creating opportunities to share knowledge and advance precision-based urologic care.

Thank you to the faculty, researchers, clinicians, and innovators who shared their expertise and made this an engaging and insightful meeting. We look forward to continuing to explore how imaging, fluorescence-guided technologies, AI, and robotics can shape the future of urologic care.

09/15/2026

“After a prostate cancer diagnosis, what can you do to support your long-term health?”

A recent study in JAMA Network Open looked at diet and long-term health outcomes in nearly 5,000 men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer.

The takeaway? Men who consumed more saturated fat after diagnosis had a higher risk of death from any cause, particularly from cardiovascular disease and other cancers.

🥓 Try cutting back on foods high in saturated fat, like bacon, sausage, fatty meats, butter, and high-fat dairy.

🫒 Instead, choose more healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado.

🥗 Think about substitutions, not perfection. Small changes in your diet can be part of taking care of your health after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

🏃 Take care of your whole health. Staying active and supporting your heart health are important parts of prostate cancer survivorship.

It’s important to note that the study did not find a link between saturated fat intake and prostate cancer-specific mortality. Instead, the findings highlight the importance of supporting your overall health after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Read the study: https://loom.ly/MWsFy2c

Read the accompanying editorial: https://loom.ly/WQZrYLc

This cohort study uses data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to assess whether consumption of specific dietary fats after diagnosis of nonmetastatic prostate cancer was associated with long-term survival.

09/08/2026

💙 September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide, making awareness, early detection, and informed decision-making especially important.

This month, we’re raising awareness about the importance of knowing your risk, talking with your doctor about screening, and understanding your options if you’re diagnosed.

At PINE, we’re committed to providing personalized care and helping patients understand all of their treatment options.

Take a moment this September to prioritize prostate health. 💙

09/04/2026

Bladder Studies for men? Men can and will have urodynamics to help in their care for BPH- Decreasing stress on the bladder allows longevity.

New research from our team led by Dr. Louis Liou and Jon Kim: Understanding how GreenLight laser treatment changes the mechanics of urination

What happens physiologically after GreenLight photovaporization of the prostate (PVP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)?

In our newly published study, we looked beyond symptom scores to examine objective changes in urinary function using pressure-flow urodynamics.

Among 98 patients treated with GreenLight PVP, we found significant improvements in urinary flow and measures of bladder outlet obstruction at 12 months:

• Maximum urinary flow rate increased by 76%
• Average urinary flow rate increased by 35%
• Maximum detrusor pressure decreased from 84.8 to 61.2 cmH₂O
• Bladder outlet obstruction index decreased from 46.7 to 28.9

These findings provide objective evidence that the symptomatic improvements seen after GreenLight PVP are accompanied by measurable changes in voiding mechanics.

Read the full study: https://doi.org/10.3390/uro6030025

Purpose: Photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) with the GreenLight laser is an established minimally invasive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), yet its effects on voiding physiology remain incompletely characterized. Most prior studies rely on symptom scores and uroflowme...

08/28/2026

FOMO: You don’t have to miss out. Know your options for prostate cancer.

New research highlighted by Prostate Cancer UK shows that focal therapies, including HIFU and cryotherapy, can offer effective cancer control for appropriately selected men with localized prostate cancer, while reducing the risk of some serious side effects associated with whole-gland treatments.

Focal therapy uses a targeted approach to treat cancer while preserving as much healthy prostate tissue as possible. Understanding all available treatment options can help patients make informed decisions about their care.

Read the full article from Prostate Cancer UK to learn more.

https://loom.ly/zFurWok

As new data shows focal therapies are safe and effective at treating most early prostate cancers, we're pushing NICE to review the evidence for men across the UK to have access the treatments.

08/11/2026

Over 1/3 of men started on medication for urinary symptoms failed to report improvement.

BPH treatment isn't one-size-fits-all and new research offers an important reminder.

A recent JAMA Network Open study examined tamsulosin (Flomax), one of the most commonly prescribed medications for lower urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH.

Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled N-of-1 study design, researchers compared each participant's urinary symptoms while taking tamsulosin versus placebo.

The results showed just how differently men can respond:
36.7% had minimal or no benefit from tamsulosin compared with placebo.

The study also found that many men who ultimately showed little or no measurable benefit still believed the medication was helping them.

So while medications can provide meaningful relief for some men, they may not be the long-term solution for everyone.

With advances in minimally invasive BPH procedures, men now have more options than simply taking medication indefinitely.

If you're still struggling with BPH symptoms, talk with your urologist about whether medication, a procedure, or another approach may be right for you.

Read the full study to learn more about these findings: https://loom.ly/_hIYnl8

This crossover trial evaluates whether N-of-1 deprescribing trials can identify older men who are receiving minimal benefit from tamsulosin therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms.

08/04/2026

Fluorescence-Guided Endoscopic Surgery is the Future.

Dr. Louis Liou recently presented his pioneering work at the Society of Robotic Surgery | SRS 2026 Annual Meeting, where he had the honor and pleasure of presenting alongside a distinguished panel of leaders advancing the future of robotic and minimally invasive urologic care.

Dr. Liou’s presentation, “Activ Surgical: Applications of AI in BPH/Rezum,” highlighted emerging technologies in fluorescence-guided surgery and their potential to enhance visualization and precision in BPH procedures.

We extend our sincere thanks to the session moderators, Dr. Victoria Bird and Dr. Thomas Polascik, for leading an outstanding discussion. We also thank Dr. Vipul Patel and the entire SRS organizing committee for bringing together an exceptional meeting that continues to advance innovation in robotic surgery.

We are grateful to the distinguished panelists who shared their expertise and insights during this session, including Dr. Masayoshi Miura, Arun Menawat, PhD, Dr. Brian Miles, Chad Reed, Dr. Phil Stricker, Dr. George Schade, Josh Stopek, PhD, Dave Quigley, Alexander Volovick, and Sebastien Cadet.

Thank you to the ISFGS - International Society for Fluorescence Guided Surgery and Diagnostic Green for their continued leadership in advancing fluorescence-guided surgery and innovation in surgical care.

We look forward to seeing how advancements in AI, robotics, and fluorescence-guided technologies continue to shape the future of precision urologic surgery.

07/25/2026

I am speaking at Society of Robotic Surgery 2026. Please check out my talk if you're attending the event!

02/14/2026

Happy Valentine's Day from the PINE team! ❤️

Fun fact: In benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the prostate can sometimes appear heart-shaped on an MRI image, often called the "heart sign."

A little reminder that prostate health matters.