Thousands of men with prostate cancer are being denied 'a quality of life-preserving' treatment by the NHS https://t.co/7AaDQWcsWV
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) February 23, 2026
Thousands of men suffering with prostate cancer are being denied access to a ‘quality of life-preserving’ treatment by the NHS.
Focal therapy, a non-invasive treatment which targets cancerous cells while avoiding damaging surrounding tissue, was introduced to the UK in 2006.
The treatment dramatically reduces the risk of incontinence and erectile dysfunction, side effects which can affect up to 20 per cent of men who undergo other forms of cancer treatment such as radiotherapy.
It is also much cheaper than other treatments, with patients usually in and out of hospital in a day and less likely to need follow-up care.
But it is still rarely available on the NHS despite around 15,000 men who could benefit.
Only a few specialist centres, mostly in London, carry out the focal therapy, as doctors warn that most patients are not told about the treatment and face life-changing side effects.
Around 60,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year but a mere 600 to 700 are thought to be offered it, although it is widely available privately for an average £16,000.
David Cameron paid to be privately treated with focal therapy after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.