Thousands of men with prostate cancer to get trailblazing new therapy on the NHS that slashes appointments by three-quarters and has fewer side-effects

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 00:01, 10 June 2026 | Updated: 00:01, 10 June 2026 Thousands of men with prostate cancer will benefit from a trailblazing new NHS therapy that slashes appointments by three-quarters and has fewer side-effects. The precision radiotherapy uses higher doses of radiation and fires beams at the tumour from multiple directions, allowing doctors to cut sessions from 20 to just five. The treatment, named stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR), also reduces the risk of tumours growing or spreading, while sparing healthy tissue. NHS England said all 48 radiotherapy centres in England will be offering it to men with early prostate cancer within the next three months. Some centres will begin using it as early as next week after UK-led clinical trials demonstrated the benefits. SABR is typically delivered in five doses over a fortnight, compared with at least 20 doses with standard radiotherapy. This allows doctors to reduce waiting lists faster and saves men the inconvenience of making so many trips to hospital. Around 17,500 men are diagnosed with low or intermediate risk prostate cancer in England each year and may be eligible for SABR. The precision radiotherapy uses higher doses of radiation and fires beams at the tumour from multiple directions, allowing doctors to cut sessions from 20 to just five. Modelling by NHS England suggests nearly a fifth of men with this form of cancer (around 3,500) may take up the option. Many others choose active surveillance, where cancer is monitored until it shows signs it may do harm. Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: ‘This cutting-edge approach will transform treatment for thousands of men with prostate cancer, helping the NHS provide far more powerful and convenient care to stop their cancer spreading. ‘Having been proven effective in keeping cancer under control, this technology will not only help reduce the risk of certain side effects but also the major “to-and-fro” burden of hospital treatment, which can be really draining for so many patients and their families.’ NHS national clinical director for cancer Professor Peter Johnson said: ‘This technology lets us focus a powerful and precise beam of radiotherapy directly on to the cancer, limiting the damage to healthy cells – and the fact it can be delivered in 15 fewer doses will help men get back to living their lives far more quickly. ‘It is an important step to make this pioneering treatment available on the NHS, following trials that were led by the UK. ‘Although it is not suitable for everyone with localised prostate cancer, we’d encourage anyone with questions about their treatment options to speak to their specialist team.’ Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with more than 55,000 men being diagnosed every year and around 12,300 dying from the disease. Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said: ‘This cutting-edge approach will transform treatment for thousands of men with prostate cancer.' The Daily Mail has long led campaigns to improve the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in a bid to end the needless deaths. NHS England estimated the new rollout could free up around 50,000 appointments for prostate cancer treatment each year, helping drive down waiting lists. Amy Rylance, director of health services at Prostate Cancer UK, welcomed the news, adding: ‘It means men will go from needing 20 hospital trips in quick succession to just five, massively reducing the burden that cancer places on them and their loved ones. 'As the UK’s biggest public funder of prostate cancer research, we’re proud to have played a part in proving this treatment is safe and effective. ‘We’re now investing further to see whether even more men could benefit, including those whose cancer has begun to spread beyond the prostate. ‘This would completely shift the paradigm in prostate cancer treatment, allowing us to cure cancers that would today be described as incurable.’ David James, director of patient projects and influencing at Prostate Cancer Research, said: ‘Thousands of men stand to benefit from this pioneering treatment. ‘Delivering radiotherapy in just five sessions instead of twenty means less time in hospital, less disruption to family and working life, and faster access to effective care. ‘We welcome this investment and urge the NHS to roll it out as quickly as possible so men across England can access the latest advances in prostate cancer treatment, wherever they live.’  Dr Nicky Thorp, vice-president for clinical oncology at the Royal College of Radiologists, said: 'We’re delighted to see SABR rolled out to more eligible patients. 'SABR is a method of accurately targeting radiotherapy to a tumour, which is typically used to treat very small tumours, and maximises radiation given to the tumour while minimising damage to healthy tissues. 'Compared to conventional radiotherapy, patients need fewer sessions and therefore fewer hospital visits, and they experience reduced side effects, all of which can improve their quality of life. 'In the National Cancer Plan published earlier this year, the government committed to improving access to cutting-edge cancer treatments across England. 'We hope to see them continue to make this world-class type of radiotherapy more widely available to patients who could benefit from it.' * Sir Jim will today give a speech to delegates at the NHS ConfedExpo conference in Manchester, where he will set out how technology and local innovation can help cut waits and improve patient experiences. No comments have so far been submitted. 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