Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with one in eight men diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.

Despite its prominence, a third of men are unsure of what treatments are available and concerns about side effects is one of the most common reasons some men delay seeking medical advice for prostate related issues.

Working alongside Prostate Cancer UK, we want to ensure men feel fully informed, so they seek medical advice as early as possible and are more confident to discuss their treatment options should they receive a cancer diagnosis.

As leading experts in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, we provide many of the latest innovations which aim to treat the cancer with minimal side effects and improved outcomes.

It's important that men understand their treatment options and feel empowered to make a decision that’s right for them

- Laura Kerby, Chief Executive, Prostate Cancer UK

So what are the facts?

First of all, it's not a one size fits all approach and there are many prostate cancer treatment options available, depending on the stage and grade of a cancer diagnosis. Tests and scans can help doctors understand everything they can about a cancer diagnosis and help inform and guide what treatment options would be best for that patient. 

For some, treatment might not even be necessary right away as prostate cancer is typically slow growing.

For others, the broad treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and more. These can be used on their own or together at the same time, or one after another. 

Also, there are lots of different types of radiotherapy techniques, chemotherapy drugs, etc., each with their own considerations to be discussed when planning what treatment is best for a patients individual needs.

At GenesisCare, we have pioneered the use of modern prostate cancer treatments that not only aim to treat the cancer, but also minimise the side effects and impact on quality of life.

Here are some examples of the treatment options that we provide, all designed to improve outcomes for men with prostate cancer. Some of these treatments are exclusively available in the UK at GenesisCare.

MRIdian MRI-guided radiotherapy

The MRIdian MR Linac is an advanced radiotherapy technology that combines high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning techniques with extremely powerful radiotherapy beams to treat tumours more accurately and quicker than conventional radiotherapy.

The MRIdian is considered especially ground-breaking because it turns on the radiation beam only when the tumour is positioned precisely in the treatment window and turns off the beam in an instant if the tumour moves even by a fraction – helping to protect surrounding healthy tissue and organs from unnecessary radiation exposure, leading to fewer side effects.

It also provides a safe and effective treatment option for men who experience a recurrence of their prostate cancer following previous prostate radiotherapy.

“We want patients to be reassured that innovative treatments and techniques exist that have minimal side effects and improve outcomes

- Dr Carla Perna, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at GenesisCare

With 1 in 8 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime in the UK, being aware of your own risk, and being prepared to seek medical advice if you’re at all concerned, is important, as an early diagnosis can lead to greater treatment options and better outcomes.

Risk factors for prostate cancer include:

• Age – prostate cancer mainly affects men over the age of 50, with your risk increasing with age
• Family history – your risk of prostate cancer is increased if you have a family history of prostate or breast cancer
• Ethnicity – men of black ethnicity are twice as likely to be diagnosed, and at a younger age.

If you're concerned or meet the above criteria, speak to your GP about prostate cancer, even if you have no symptoms.