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In England, a new approach to radiotherapy for prostate cancer is set to be introduced for thousands of men, significantly reducing the usual number of treatment sessions from twenty down to just five. This advanced method, known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), promises not only to more precisely target the cancer but also to minimize side effects compared to conventional radiotherapy.
While SABR is already utilized for certain lung and brain cancers, this marks the first occasion it will be made available to patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer outside of clinical trials. Each year, approximately 55,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, with around 17,500 classified as having low or intermediate risk. It is estimated that about 3,500 of these men will opt for this new radiotherapy option, as many with low-risk disease often prefer active surveillance due to the typically slow-growing nature of their cancer.
According to NHS England, all 48 radiotherapy centers across the country are expected to begin offering this targeted treatment within weeks. Professor Peter Johnson, the national clinical director for cancer, highlighted the benefits of SABR by explaining, “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.”
Amy Rylance from Prostate Cancer UK expressed enthusiasm about the rollout, stating, “It’s wonderful news that thousands of men in England will now have access to this revolutionary targeted radiotherapy. It will massively reduce the burden that cancer places on them, and their loved ones.” Ongoing trials are investigating whether this precision radiotherapy approach can also be extended to patients with high-risk prostate cancer.
Among those participating in such trials is Edwin Lambert, a 70-year-old from Suffolk, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2025. After experiencing hormone therapy side effects — including loss of libido, hot flushes, mood fluctuations, and fatigue — he received SABR targeted at his prostate and surrounding lymph nodes. Edwin described the treatment as “easier to deal with” and noted the stark contrast with the traditional radiotherapy patients he observed during hospital visits, many of whom appeared visibly unwell due to repeated treatments. While he experienced increased urinary frequency during and shortly after the therapy, within five weeks he was back working on a long-planned archaeological dig. Reflecting on his experience, he said, “This treatment was an absolute godsend.
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