Five-day radiotherapy for prostate cancer

Five consecutive-day radiotherapy for prostate cancer is delivered on the MRIdian MR linac, a state-of-the-art radiotherapy machine exclusively available in the UK at GenesisCare.

The advantage of the MRIdian MR linac is that it enables clinicians to ‘see as they treat’ with the exact position of the tumour visible during treatment. If the tumour moves even slightly out of position, due to patient’s breathing or normal body movements, the radiotherapy beam is automatically paused until the tumour is back in position. This prevents unnecessary radiation damage to healthy tissue, which reduces the risk of treatment-related side effects. No other radiotherapy machine has this capability.

GenesisCare is the first healthcare provider in the UK to offer five consecutive-day radiotherapy for prostate cancer. 

Radiotherapy on the MRIdian MR linac can be used to treat patients with localised prostate cancer, meaning their cancer hasn’t spread to other nearby organs such as the bladder, pelvic lymph nodes, or anywhere else in the body. It can also be used for patients who have previously undergone prostate radiotherapy and have relapsed with the disease in the prostate only. This is referred to as prostate cancer reirradiation.

Many men with prostate cancer prefer a less invasive option than surgery and choose to have radiotherapy. But both standard radiotherapy and surgery carry risks of damage to surrounding organs, such as the bowel and bladder, with side effects including incontinence and impotence.

These risks and side effects are reduced with radiotherapy delivered on the MRIdian MR linac. This is due to the improved accuracy of treatment and automated beam control which avoids unnecessary damage to healthy tissue, leading to fewer side effects.

In some cases, we might suggest you have a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) as part of your treatment plan.

Radiotherapy usually targets the entire prostate gland; SIB involves extra doses of radiotherapy aimed precisely at the aggressive area of the prostate tumour. This highly accurate delivery is made possible by MRI guidance on the MRIdian and aims to improve long-term outcomes and avoid recurrence without increasing the risk of side effects. SIB is delivered as part of the five-day schedule with no extra appointments needed.

We see care differently 

Our highly experienced prostate cancer experts work as teams, combining their skills and expertise so every patient has access to world-class cancer care.