Most of the available research on transurethral hyperthermia to treat prostate cancer has been written and published by the German cancer clinics that offer the treatment.

In layman’s terms, transurethral hyperthermia involves using radio waves to heat the prostate via a specially equipped catheter. Radio frequencies are then pulsed into the prostate, heating the cancer cells to between 113 and 158 degrees. Proponents of this treatment claim that cancer cells have a different blood supply than normal cells, so they either die or become so damaged from the heat they can no longer reproduce while the surrounding (normal) cells are not affected.

When we arrived at the Marinus am Stein clinic yesterday, Dr. Weber walked us through the procedure in detail, showing us both a traditional catheter and the specialized catheter. (I was pleased and relieved to see that the specialized catheter was a legitimate medical instrument in a sealed sterile package — and not some “Rube Goldberg” contraption put together by a mad German scientist.)

Once the catheter is inserted using a local anesthetic, it remains in place for approximately two hours. Paul will have two of the internal transurethral treatments while we are here (on Tuesday and on Thursday.) On the other days he will have external hyperthermia treatments which are non-invasive.

This video is not from the Marinus clinic but it gives a pretty good explanation (in English)::

MORE BACKGROUND

PDF of Radiofrequency and Transurethral Hyperthermia and Complete Androgen Blockade, published in Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 2002. This was the most complete medical study (in English) that we were able to find.

Oncothermia Journal, 2012

American Cancer Society info on hyperthermia

Transrectal and transurethral hyperthermia versus sham treatment in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia: a double-blind randomized multicentre clinical trial