NHS to offer prostate cancer patients five-session radiotherapy instead of 20
Thousands of men with prostate cancer in England will be offered a faster form of radiotherapy that cuts treatment from 20 hospital visits down to just five, the NHS has confirmed.
The advanced technique, known as stereotactic body radiotherapy or SBRT, delivers higher doses of radiation more accurately to the tumour. According to the BBC, the change means patients can complete their course in less than a fortnight rather than spreading sessions over four weeks.
Around 8,000 men a year are expected to benefit from the rollout. NHS England said the move would also free up appointments and ease pressure on radiotherapy units across the country.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Roughly 55,000 are diagnosed each year, and the disease is linked to around 12,000 deaths annually.
Doctors say SBRT works by aiming radiation beams more precisely at the prostate. That allows clinicians to use stronger doses while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, which can mean fewer side effects for patients.
Health officials told the BBC the shorter schedule will be a relief for men who currently face weeks of repeated trips to hospital. Many patients are older, and long courses of treatment often mean significant travel costs and time off work.
The treatment will be rolled out at NHS hospitals across England, with eligible patients identified by their cancer teams. Bosses described it as one of the most important upgrades to prostate cancer care in years.
Charities welcomed the move and urged any man worried about symptoms, such as changes to urinating or unexplained pain, to speak to a GP without delay.
Wake Up News covers the money side of British life. Bills, benefits, pensions, tax and the political decisions behind them, written plainly for readers who want to know what it costs them.
Wake Up News covers the money side of British life. Bills, benefits, pensions, tax and the political decisions behind them, written plainly for readers who want to know what it costs them.
Wake Up News covers the money side of British life. Bills, benefits, pensions, tax and the political decisions behind them, written plainly for readers who want to know what it costs them.
Wake Up News covers the money side of British life. Bills, benefits, pensions, tax and the political decisions behind them, written plainly for readers who want to know what it costs them.
Wake Up News covers the money side of British life. Bills, benefits, pensions, tax and the political decisions behind them, written plainly for readers who want to know what it costs them.
