As September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we thought we’d check in with Bernadette M. Greenwood, RT(R)(MR), (ARRT), PhD(c), chief research officer at HALO Precision Diagnostics in Indian Wells. HALO’s team continues to produce cutting-edge research on diagnostics and treatments that deliver improved outcomes for prostate cancer patients.

We first reported on HALO’s advanced diagnostics and image-guided treatment program in 2011 as they completed their first year of the Phase II laser focal therapy clinical trial. The study evaluates MRI-guided laser focal therapy for men with localized prostate cancer, using imaging to place and monitor a laser that destroys cancer within the prostate while limiting injury to nearby healthy tissue.

The concept is simple: instead of treating the entire prostate gland, laser focal therapy is designed to treat only the cancerous area plus a safety margin. This targeted approach may help preserve quality of life, especially urinary control and sexual function, while still treating the disease in appropriately selected patients.

Now in its 17th year, the study’s published outcomes have been notable: 100% prostate cancer-specific survival, 99% metastasis-free survival, and 98% of patients avoiding whole-gland treatment at 10 years. HALO’s published summaries also describe very low rates of major side effects, including less than 1% risk of erectile dysfunction and less than 1% risk of urinary incontinence.¹

These outcomes matter because, while traditional prostate cancer treatments can be effective, many also affect long-term function and recovery. Laser focal therapy is presented as a minimally invasive, outpatient option that avoids surgery and radiation for carefully selected men, while preserving the possibility of other treatments later if needed. You can read more on the study in our May/June 2024 edition at www.DesertHealthNews.com.

Last year, Greenwood received an international speaker award from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Foundation. The distinction included an invitation to share HALO’s work with imaging professionals worldwide at the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists annual conference earlier this year.

“I am honored by this award, which highlights an area of cancer care that many patients do not see directly: the role of advanced imaging in choosing and delivering treatment,” Greenwood said. “My presentation topic, ‘Imaging in Prostate Cancer: The Role of the Technologist,’ reflects how radiologic technologists support the imaging precision needed to identify tumors, guide procedures and help care teams target treatment more accurately.”

That precision is central to HALO’s work, which tells a broader story about modern prostate cancer care: imaging is no longer only a tool for diagnosis, but a key part of precision treatment itself.

Greenwood’s leadership role and her international platform highlight the important work of HALO’s Indian Wells team; the growing importance of imaging-guided innovation in oncology, and promising new standard-of-care options for those affected by prostate cancer.

Lauren Del Sarto is founder/publisher of Desert Health. For more information on HALO Precision Diagnostics and their work, visit www.halodx.com. Greenwood may be reached at (760) 469.8104, bernadette@halodx.com.

References available upon request.