NHS England to Offer SABR Radiotherapy as Option for Some Early Prostate Cancer Patients

NHS England announced on 10 June 2026 that eligible men with early prostate cancer will be offered SABR radiotherapy, a technique that delivers higher doses to the tumour from multiple directions. SABR treatment will be given in five doses within a fortnight, compared with at least 20 doses required for standard external beam radiotherapy.

The first centres will begin offering the shorter course from the week beginning 16 June 2026, with rollout at all 48 radiotherapy providers across England.

Around 17,500 men are diagnosed with low or intermediate risk prostate cancer in England each year. NHS modelling indicates nearly a fifth of them, about 3,500 patients, may choose SABR. The service expects to treat several thousand additional patients annually once the programme reaches full scale and estimates the change could free up around 50,000 appointments each year.

The rollout follows government investment of £70 million in new linear accelerator machines. No new facilities are required; existing centres will absorb the increased throughput by adjusting staffing and equipment schedules. ” He added that the treatment is not suitable for everyone with localised prostate cancer.

James Murray, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said the £70 million investment allows tumours to be targeted with greater accuracy, reducing side-effects and allowing many patients to complete treatment in a fraction of the time. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Over 55,000 men are diagnosed each year and around 12,300 lose their lives to the disease.

Clinics will assess each case individually to confirm suitability before switching from the conventional schedule. Latest data show around four in five patients received a diagnosis or the all-clear within four weeks in February and March, while nearly 92 percent of patients started cancer treatment within a month in 2025/26.