20 hospital visits cut to five for NHS prostate cancer radiotherapy

Thousands of men in England with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer will be offered a high-powered precision radiotherapy that cuts treatment from 20 hospital sessions to just five, NHS England has confirmed. The technique is called SABR, short for stereotactic ablative radiotherapy. According to the BBC, this is the first time it will be offered to these prostate cancer patients outside of clinical trials.

For men who would otherwise face weeks of repeated trips to hospital, the change matters beyond the treatment room. Fewer sessions mean fewer journeys, fewer days arranged around appointments and less disruption for partners and families who often do the driving. Senior doctors told the BBC the technique would also target the disease more effectively than standard radiotherapy and help reduce side-effects.

NHS England said it expected all 48 radiotherapy centres around the country to start offering the treatment "within weeks". It is not a treatment for every man with prostate cancer, however, and the health service's own modelling suggests only a minority of those eligible will choose it.

How the five-session treatment works

SABR works by aiming a powerful, tightly focused beam of radiation directly at the tumour. Prof Peter Johnson, the NHS national clinical director for cancer, said: "This technology lets us focus a powerful and precise beam of radiotherapy directly on to the cancer, limiting the damage to healthy cells." The same approach is already used for some patients with other cancers, including lung and brain cancers, according to the BBC.

Prof Johnson accepted that the move would not benefit all prostate cancer patients but described it as an important step. He said the fact it can be delivered in 15 fewer doses "will help men get back to living their lives far more quickly". That is the central promise here, a shorter course with less time spent in hospital.

The charity Prostate Cancer UK welcomed the decision. Amy Rylance, of the charity, called it "wonderful news" that thousands of men in England would now have access to what she described as revolutionary targeted radiotherapy, and said it would massively reduce the burden cancer places on men and their loved ones. The charity said it hopes the treatment will become available to even more prostate cancer patients in future.

Which men will be offered fewer hospital visits

The BBC reports that around 55,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and around 17,500 of them are judged to be low or intermediate risk. Those are the men the new offer is aimed at. Modelling suggests a fifth of that group, around 3,500 men, are likely to take up the option.

The take-up figure is lower largely because many men with low-risk prostate cancer choose active monitoring instead of immediate treatment. These cancers grow very slowly and may never cause harm, so some men prefer regular checks over radiotherapy. Men with high-risk prostate cancer are not part of this rollout, although trials are already under way to see whether the precision treatment can work for them. The announcement covers England only, and the sources say nothing about plans in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

One patient described his experience to the BBC. Diagnosed in January 2025, he first had hormone therapy, which brought side effects including loss of libido, hot flushes, mood swings and fatigue. He then had the new radiotherapy aimed at his prostate and surrounding lymph nodes and said it was "easier to deal with", adding that men he saw on traditional radiotherapy looked "dreadful" in comparison. He said he needed to urinate more often during and shortly after treatment, but within five weeks he was on an archaeological dig he had long been planning.

Key numbers

• 20: the number of radiotherapy sessions men with prostate cancer typically need under standard treatment.
• five: the number of sessions needed with the new SABR precision radiotherapy.
• 15: how many fewer doses the new treatment involves, according to Prof Peter Johnson.
• 55,000: the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, according to the BBC.
• 17,500: the number of those men judged to be low or intermediate risk, the group the offer covers.
• 3,500: the number of men modelling suggests are likely to take up the new option.
• 48: the number of radiotherapy centres in England NHS England expects to offer the treatment.

When hospitals will start offering it

This is a confirmed change, not a proposal. NHS England said it expects all 48 radiotherapy centres to begin offering SABR to suitable prostate cancer patients "within weeks". No exact start date for each hospital, and no list of which centres are ready first, has been published, so availability may differ from place to place in the early stages.

Further down the line, trials are testing whether the precision radiotherapy can be used for men with high-risk prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer UK has said it hopes the treatment will eventually reach more patients, but no timetable for that has been announced.

What you can do now

If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer and radiotherapy is being discussed, ask your consultant or cancer nurse specialist whether SABR is suitable for you. The decision depends on your individual diagnosis, and it sits alongside other options, including active monitoring, so it is worth asking for the pros and cons of each in plain terms.

If you are already booked in for standard radiotherapy, ask your hospital team whether your local radiotherapy centre has started offering the five-session course yet, and whether switching would make sense in your case. Because NHS England has only said centres will start "within weeks", the answer may change over the coming period, so it is reasonable to ask again at your next appointment.

Prostate Cancer UK runs support services for men and their families and can help you prepare questions for your doctors. Keep a note of the dates of any appointments you are offered so you can plan travel and time off around a shorter course.

Your questions answered

Will every man with prostate cancer be offered the shorter radiotherapy?

No. The offer is for men whose prostate cancer is judged to be low or intermediate risk, around 17,500 of the 55,000 men diagnosed each year, according to the BBC. Men with high-risk cancer are not included for now, although trials are looking at whether it could help them.

Is the five-session treatment harder on the body?

Senior doctors told the BBC the technique should reduce side-effects compared with standard radiotherapy, because it limits damage to healthy cells. One patient said it was "easier to deal with", though he needed to urinate more often during and shortly after treatment.

When can I get it at my local hospital?

NHS England said it expects all 48 radiotherapy centres in England to start offering it "within weeks". No exact dates for individual hospitals have been published yet, so your hospital team is the best source of up-to-date information.