What does the scientific community recommend?

Ablatherm HIFU, a non-invasive treatment by focused ultrasound on localised prostate cancer, is not a miracle solution. It is reserved only for certain indications, which still represents a significant proportion of patients (probably more than 40% of patients diagnosed).
In France, the Comité de Cancérologie de l'Association Française d'Urologie, the French Urology Association's Cancer Committee, has announced its approval of the use of this technique for the following patients (Progrès en Urologie, February 2004, page 929):

Treatment as first choice for localised prostate cancer in patients over 70 years of age, or younger if they are not candidates for surgery (associated co-morbidity factors). The tumour must be at a clinical stage less than or equal to T2, with a PSA value less than 15 ng/ml, and a Gleason score less than or equal to 7 (3+4). The prostate volume must be less than 50 ml and the volume of the tumour limited (fewer than 4 prostate quadrants affected out of the 6 standard ones).

Second treatment for residual cancer after first choice HIFU treatment.
Recovery treatment by HIFU after failure of external radiotherapy: for patients initially treated by curative intention radiotherapy for a T1–T2 tumour, for which the recidivism has been proved histologically by biopsy and the absence of metastases, or ganglion extension verified by thoraco-abdomino-pelvic scanner and bone radioisotope scanning.

As Ablatherm HIFU is a recent treatment, it has less than 10 years’ follow-up, which means that it is intended for patients who have an average life expectancy of 10 years and are therefore aged 70 or over. There is no contraindication for treating younger patients, but the scientific community, unless the patient's opinion is different, prefers to recommend adopting the precaution principle.