This study demonstrates safety of IRE for the treatment of tumors near the large blood vessels and tumors already encasing the vessels. Further studies to substantiate these findings are essential to validate this crucial advantage of IRE.

BPH ¼ benign prostatic hyperplasia, IIEF ¼ International Index of Erectile Function, IPSS ¼ International Prostate Symptom Score, LUTS ¼ lower urinary tract symptoms, MIST ¼ minimally invasive surgical therapies, OP ¼ open prostatectomy, PAE ¼ prostatic artery embolization, PVR ¼ postvoid residual, QOL ¼ quality of life, RCT ¼ randomized controlled trial, TURP ¼ transurethral resection of the prostate, UK-ROPE ¼ United Kingdom Register of Prostate Embolization BACKGROUND Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) describes the proliferation of the glandular and stromal tissue in the transition zone of the prostate, which may result in bladder outlet obstruction and consequent lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The prevalence of BPH increases with age, affecting more than 70% of men older than 70 years (1), and one fourth of men older than 70 years have moderate to severe LUTS that impair their quality of life (QOL) (2,3). Thus, BPH and ensuing LUTS represent a significant health issue affecting millions of men. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS; also known as the American Urologic Association Symptom Index) is a validated instrument that quantifies a patient's subjective urinary symptoms on a 35-point scale (4). The IPSS also incorporates a urinary QOL score, which assesses how the patient feels overall about his urinary symptoms. Nearly all studies assessing BPH treatments for LUTS use the IPSS and QOL scores to assess patients before and after treatment. A 3-point change in IPSS is noticeable by a man with LUTS (5), and a 30% reduction in IPSS is considered clinically acceptable for a treatment to be considered effective (6,7). Medical therapies, including a-1 blockers and 5-a reductase inhibitors, are the mainstay of treatment for mild to moderate LUTS. The symptomatic relief is relatively modest, with IPSS improvement in the range of 3-7 points (8). Although generally considered safe, medical

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