UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's First in Metro to Offer New Minimally Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatment

UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's First in Metro to Offer New Minimally Invasive Prostate Cancer Treatment

UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital is the first in the metro area to offer NanoKnife® Irreversible Electroporation, a new, less-invasive treatment for prostate cancer, to patients in the Cedar Rapids community. The NanoKnife system uses non-thermal energy - not radiation - to target and destroy cancer cells while helping preserve surrounding tissue.

During the procedure, a urologist places thin needles around the tumor using real-time imaging. These needles deliver short electrical pulses between them, which create tiny openings in the cancer cells, causing them to die. Because the treatment targets only the tumor, it avoids damage to nearby nerves, blood vessels and structures that control urinary and sexual function. That means patients experience fewer side effects and recover faster.

Thomas Richardson, MD, urologist with Physicians' Clinic of Iowa (PCI), says NanoKnife is an important step forward:

"NanoKnife gives us a precise, minimally invasive way to treat prostate cancer while preserving quality of life. For the right patient, it offers meaningful cancer control with far fewer long-term complications."

Patients are encouraged to talk with their primary care provider or a urologist to see if NanoKnife may be an appropriate option.

In September 2025, PCI Urology - the area's most tenured urology practice - formed an exclusive partnership with UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital and Surgery Center Cedar Rapids for inpatient and outpatient surgical care in the Cedar Rapids area. This collaboration marked a significant milestone in advancing surgical and urologic care for the region and reflects a shared commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care.

The addition of the NanoKnife system is a direct result of that partnership - a clear example of how PCI and St. Luke's are working together to bring leading-edge treatments, advanced technology and better outcomes to patients close to home.

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