Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40926180›Full record

ArticleInternational urology and nephrology2026

Medicolegal landscape of prostate cancer ablative therapy: a national legal database analysis of malpractice claims (1970-2024).

Boyuan Xiao, Zhiyu Qian, Andrea Piccolini, Filippo Dagnino, Stephan M Korn, Hanna Zurl, Klara K Pohl, Daniel R Stelzl, Caroline M Moore, Daniel Wollin and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in International urology and nephrology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Boyuan XiaoChobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Zhiyu QianDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Andrea PiccoliniDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Filippo DagninoDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Stephan M KornDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Hanna ZurlDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Klara K PohlDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Daniel R StelzlDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Caroline M MooreDepartment of Urology and Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
Daniel WollinDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Quoc-Dien TrinhDepartment of Urology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Alexander P ColeDepartment of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 45 Francis St, ASB II-3, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. alexander.p.cole@gmail.com.

Funding

Physician Research Award from the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program #PC220342the Prostate Cancer Foundation and American Cancer Society #23YOUN25
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWith the advancement of MR-based imaging, prostate cancer ablative therapies have seen increased interest to reduce complications of prostate cancer treatment. Although less invasive, they do carry procedural risks, including rectal injury. To date, the medicolegal aspects of ablative therapy remain underexplored. In this study, we aim to analyze malpractice lawsuits related to prostate cancer ablative therapies using a national legal database.

methodsIn this retrospective study, we utilized the LexisNexis Database to analyze ablative therapy malpractice lawsuits between 1970 and 2024. We searched for keywords "ablative therapy" "focal therapy" "high-intensity focused ultrasound" "HIFU" "cryotherapy" "cryoablation" "laser" "irreversible electroporation" and "IRE" We excluded cases that did not involve ablative treatment of prostate cancer. We then reviewed cases for treatment method, allegation, claimed liabilities, verdict, and plaintiff award.

resultsWe identified 180 lawsuits using the keywords provided, and 5 cases met inclusion criteria. All five lawsuits involved cryoablation for prostate cancer. The most common precipitating injury was rectal injury (3, 60%). Allegations included negligence (2, 25%), deviation from the standard of care (2, 25%), deliberate indifference (2, 25%), and failure to consent (2, 25%). Verdicts were predominantly favorable to defendants (4, 80%), and one case (20%) resulted in an unknown outcome.

conclusionsAblative therapy had a limited number of lawsuits, with outcomes favorable to surgeons and minimal financial payouts. As ablative therapy continues to gain popularity, urologists must practice proper surgical techniques, conduct thorough informed consent, and exercise excellent patient-provider communication to help minimize the occurrence and impact of litigations involving ablative therapy. These findings may help guide future patient risk counseling and support adjustments in malpractice insurance policies as the use of ablative therapies expands, while also informing physicians and hospital systems considering their adoption or expansion.

Indexed as

Ablation TechniquesMalpracticeProstatic NeoplasmsDatabases, FactualHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesUnited StatesAblative therapyLegalLexisNexisMalpracticeProstate cancer

Identifiers

PMID40926180

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.