NHS England has announced a new form of highly targeted radiotherapy which could significantly reduce hospital and treatment time, including a major trial for Black men.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in men, with around 55,000 diagnosed every year, and over 12,000 losing their lives to the same disease. Current treatment is often at least 20 doses of standard external beam radiotherapy. NHS England has announced that men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer will be offered stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). SABR is a new form of radiotherapy which delivers high doses, at what the NHS refers to as ‘pinpoint accuracy’, to the tumour from multiple different angles to help reduce the risk of cancer spreading, as well as cutting down the number of treatments needed.

SABR is typically delivered in five doses within a fortnight, compared to at least 20 doses with standard external beam radiotherapy, which can be a major burden for patients and loved ones due to the substantial treatment and travel time.

“This technology lets us focus a powerful and precise beam of radiotherapy directly onto 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,” said Peter Johnston, NHS national clinical director for cancer.

The treatment is backed by the government’s £70 million investment into radiotherapy treatment, aiming to streamline the process to reduce unnecessary side effects in treatment, and represents part of the broader push to tackle cancer early, when treatment is most effective. The latest data shows the NHS is diagnosing or ruling out cancer more quickly than at any point on record, with around four in five patients receiving a diagnosis or the all-clear within four weeks in February and March.

It is expected that SABR for localised prostate cancer will be offered at all 48 radiotherapy providers across England, with the first centres making it available from the week starting June 15.

Underrepresentation despite risk

At the same time, the government has injected a £20 million package to improve prostate cancer research and treatment. It will allow all eligible Black men to take part in a trial called TRANSFORM, testing the best ways to detect prostate cancer earlier and save more lives.

TRANSFORM will be open to Black men aged 45 to 74, living in the UK and who haven’t had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or prostate MRI scan in the last five years.

It aims to avoid unnecessary treatment and the associated harms, whilst building the evidence needed to find the best screening strategy and tackle inequalities.

This is particularly notable as Black men have double the risk of developing prostate cancer than other men, with one in four of this group developing the disease. Their chances increase further if they are aged over 45 or have a family history of the disease.

In the first stage of the trial, one-in-ten invitees will be Black men, rising to all eligible Black men by the second stage.

“Black men are at higher risk of prostate cancer and yet have been underrepresented in the evidence informing screening policy,” commented Rhian Gabe, professor of biostatistics and clinical trials at Queen Mary University of London and trial co-lead.

Her team will collaborate with the charity Prostate Cancer UK to encourage Black men in communities nationwide to take part.

TRANSFORM is funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and comes amid the government’s plan for a 75% five-year survival rate across cancers by 2030.

From 2027, men whose prostate cancer is being actively monitored or treated will also be able to order a PSA test at home or book an in-person blood test locally through their NHS App.