The Prostate Clinic (TPC) has introduced an artificial intelligence–driven focal therapy for prostate cancer in Nigeria, deploying a fully automated high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system that targets and eradicates cancer within the prostate without surgery, pain, or hospital admission.

Speaking during the unveiling in Lagos, the clinic’s consultant urological laparoscopic and robotic surgeon, Professor Kingsley Ekwueme explained that the technology delivers precise ultrasound energy directly to cancerous tissue that has been identified within the prostate, while preserving healthy areas. He said the system combines advanced imaging with artificial intelligence to automate treatment once the cancer location and region of interest are fed into the machine.

According to him, the HIFU platform operates with a single click after planning is completed, allowing clinicians to monitor treatment in real time as colour changes on the screen indicate when the targeted cancer has been completely destroyed. He added that the machine shuts down automatically once treatment is completed, after which patients can go home the same day.

He noted that the procedure involves no surgical cuts and causes no pain and stressed that patients can undergo treatment in the morning and return home later that day. He added recovery is so minimal that some patients may only require mild pain relief such as paracetamol.
The urologist explained that a major advantage of the technology is its ability to preserve the prostate and its functions. He said this is particularly important in Nigeria, where clusters of hereditary prostate cancer mean some men develop the disease about seven years earlier than the general population, often before they have had children.

Ekwueme stated that with focal therapy, the cancer can be cured while the prostate remains intact, ensuring full preservation of erection and ejaculation, with no urinary leakage. This, he said, allows men to father children naturally, unlike radical prostate removal, which permanently eliminates ejaculation.

Describing how the system works, he said a probe is inserted into the rectum to generate ultrasound energy, while an intelligent cooling system circulates fluid to protect surrounding tissue during treatment. He added that once scanning is completed, the computer automatically generates prostate images, enabling clinicians to mark out cancerous areas that the machine then treats precisely.

Ekwueme emphasised that the approach avoids removing the entire prostate when cancer is confined to a specific area and noted that the gland is roughly the size of a walnut and does not always require total removal. He described the technology as true focal therapy, capable of killing cancer in a defined location without affecting the rest of the organ.

Reflecting on the broader significance, the surgeon said the introduction of AI-driven HIFU represents a personal milestone and a major step forward for cancer care in Nigeria. He said the country has long been left behind in fast-developing medical treatments, particularly for cancer, and that this innovation is part of a deliberate effort to change that narrative.

Ekwueme recalled returning to Nigeria to introduce robotic surgery for the first time and said the new focal therapy system is another landmark in an ongoing plan to transform surgical care. He stressed his commitment to ensuring Nigerian men receive first-class treatment comparable to what is available in the United Kingdom, without having to travel abroad.

He added that extensive training has been conducted for the staff to ensure they are technically equipped to operate the system safely and effectively. According to him, this capacity building gives him special satisfaction and sends a signal to Nigerian professionals in the diaspora that world-class care can now be delivered at home.

The surgeon described the launch as the third major first achieved by the clinic in the year, following the introduction of robotic surgery and the UroLift procedure for enlarged prostate. He said the adoption of focal therapy places Nigeria on a new path in prostate cancer management and expressed optimism that further important developments would follow in 2026.