Call to roll out prostate cancer treatment that spares men’s agony
A TARGETED treatment that blasts prostate cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue is set to benefit more men thanks to a £3million fundraising campaign led by a former patient.
Paul Sayer, founder of the charity Prost8, is fighting to improve access to high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for early-stage disease.
He said: “People don’t realise that there are other forms of non-invasive treatment out there that can help you live longer and better following a prostate cancer diagnosis.
Focused
“I went in as a day case, had the treatment over an hour and a half, came out with a catheter which was soon removed and that was it.
“I have just had my three-year check-up and it’s totally clear. This treatment allowed me to still be me.”
Invasive treatments for prostate cancer can lead to urinary and erectile dysfunction. But HIFU uses highly focused beams of ultrasound to target tumour cells while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible.
A 10-year study found such focal therapy can control cancer just as well as radical surgery but crucially has better lifestyle outcomes.
HIFU is available at three NHS hospitals but six more want to host units. Paul founded Prost8 after having HIFU three years ago and is calling on the public to raise the cash needed to open facilities in Wrexham, Norwich, Scotland and London, and improve the unit in Southampton. The charity’s One in Eight campaign wants one in eight men to donate £1 to raise the £3million needed to fund new units.The figure represents the one in eight men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Paul added: “It is a very low ask.”