ARTICLE SUMMARY:
Having successfully navigated a nearly 15-year FDA journey, EDAP has a new CPT Category I code for the ablation of malignant prostate tissue using high-intensity focused ultrasound. The urological HIFU pioneer is preparing for its code to become effective in 2021, and to establishing universal coverage for its non-invasive, radiation-free prostate cancer therapy—and other indications—in the future.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly occurring cancer in men after non-melanoma skin cancer, and the fourth most commonly occurring cancer overall. Worldwide, there were about 1.3 million new cases diagnosed in 2018, fueled by a rise in regular PSA tests and other screenings, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. In the US, PCa is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, behind lung cancer. It can be a serious disease, but most men diagnosed with PCa do not die from it. In fact, more than 2.9 million American men who have been diagnosed with PCa at some point are still alive today, according to the American Cancer Society.
