Thousands of men with prostate cancer in England will soon be offered a more advanced form of radiotherapy on the NHS, with the new treatment cutting the number of hospital visits from 20 down to just five.
According to Sky News, the rollout begins next week and will give patients access to a sharper, more targeted form of radiation that is aimed more precisely at the tumour rather than the wider tissue around it.
Patients currently face up to four weeks of near-daily appointments, often travelling long distances to specialist cancer centres. The new schedule means treatment can be wrapped up in little more than a week, easing pressure on hospital diaries and giving men more time at home with family.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with around 55,000 new diagnoses every year according to figures from Cancer Research UK. Roughly one in eight men will face the disease at some point in their lifetime.
Doctors say the more focused beam should reduce the risk of side effects, including damage to nearby organs such as the bladder and bowel. Clinical trials have indicated that the shorter course is just as effective as the older 20-session approach for suitable patients.
Not every man will qualify for the new treatment. It is aimed mainly at those whose cancer has not spread far beyond the prostate gland, and consultants will assess each case before deciding on the right plan.
NHS England has framed the change as part of a wider effort to modernise cancer care and cut the load on patients and their families. Charities working in the field have broadly welcomed the move, calling it a real step forward for men facing the disease.
Anyone worried about symptoms such as needing to urinate more often, trouble passing urine or blood in the urine is urged to speak to their GP. The NHS website sets out the warning signs and the usual pathway from a first check to diagnosis and treatment.