Targeted prostate cancer treatment ‘as effective’ as surgery, major 10-year study finds

A less invasive prostate cancer treatment that targets only the cancerous part of the gland is as effective as surgery or radiotherapy, according to the largest and longest-running study of its kind.

The 10-year trial involved 3,500 men and found that focal therapy delivered the same long-term cancer control as standard treatments. Crucially, it also cut the risk of major side effects by around half.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. In the UK alone there are more than 60,000 new diagnoses each year. Current standard options are surgery to remove the prostate, or radiotherapy to the whole gland. Both are effective but can lead to urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Focal therapy works differently. It destroys only the cancerous area of the prostate, leaving the rest of the organ intact.

“This is the largest and longest running study demonstrating that focal therapy delivers excellent long-term cancer control across a broad range of patients,” said study author Prof Hashim Ahmed, chair of urology at Imperial College London.“

It makes a compelling case for more centres to offer this treatment. I am pleased to see the government make a firm commitment of capital funding to support it.”Researchers say the results could change how prostate cancer is treated, offering men a middle ground between active monitoring and whole-gland treatment, with similar survival outcomes but far fewer side effects.

With government funding now pledged, health officials hope more hospitals across the UK will begin offering focal therapy as a routine option.