Prostate cancer
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We are part of a leading centre for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Our services at Thames View, Charing Cross Hospital, have an excellent reputation due to the specialist expertise of our clinicians and the pioneering treatments we provide.
We are a high-volume centre for prostate cancer treatment and receive referrals for UK and international patients who do not have these treatment options available to them.
About prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide, affecting one in seven men, and is more prevalent in men over the age of 50. Key risk factors include age, race, a family history of prostate cancer, certain genetic factors and possibly lifestyle factors such as obesity, diet, activity.
Prostate cancer does not show symptoms in its early stages but as the disease progresses, certain symptoms may become noticeable. Tests to find prostate cancer early when it is curable with least invasive treatments may be worthwhile. Generally, symptoms of benign prostate enlargement but not necessarily prostate cancer are:
- trouble urinating or a decreased force in the stream of urine
- difficulty starting to urinate
- urinating more frequently, especially at night
- feeling of incomplete bladder emptying
However, the following symptoms may indicate prostate cancer and should be looked at immediately:
- blood in urine or semen
- bone pain
- unexplained weight loss
- unexplained fevers
Early diagnosis
To improve early diagnosis and ensure better outcomes, we are now offering the Prostate Screening EpiSwitch® (PSE) test, a cutting-edge diagnostic test for prostate cancer. The PSE test is offered alongside the standard Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, to help guide prostate cancer screening and diagnosis and can boost the accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer to 94%. This compares to the 55% accuracy of the standard Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test alone.
The PSA test looks at the level of the prostate specific antigen in the blood. A high level of PSA can indicate a prostate condition, including prostate cancer. There are also some other conditions, such as enlarged prostate, that can cause PSA levels in the blood to rise. The PSE test focuses on five specific biomarkers in immune cells which, together, are specifically related to prostate cancer.
By analysing these five epigenetic markers together with PSA, the PSE test provides a more comprehensive assessment of prostate cancer risk than PSA alone. The EpiSwitch® PSE blood test improves prostate cancer detection, reducing unnecessary biopsies by up to 79% (i).
Consultation and blood test:
At the initial consultation you will have a blood test and any questions you have will be answered.
Your blood sample will be sent to Oxford BioDynamics who will use the latest technology to diagnose whether prostate cancer is present. This test looks at five epigenetic biomarkers in the blood, which can indicate the presence of prostate cancer or other prostate-related issues. The test will highlight if you have a ‘low likelihood’ or ‘high likelihood’ of prostate cancer.
Follow up appointment:
Your test results will be sent to the consultant urologist within five to seven working days, and you will book a follow-up appointment to discuss results.
If the test results indicate you have a ‘low likelihood’ of prostate cancer, your consultant urologist may decide that you are not required to have further invasive procedures, depending on family history and other risk factors. This ‘low likelihood’ result usually means that prostate cancer is not present in more than nine out of ten men.
If the test indicates you have a ‘high likelihood’ of prostate cancer, you will be offered a prostate MRI scan and possibly a biopsy at the earliest opportunity and your consultant urologist will discuss next steps and recommend a management plan. A ‘high likelihood’ result usually indicates prostate cancer being present in nine out of ten men.
Your treatment for prostate cancer
We offer a comprehensive range of treatments for prostate cancer:
- Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP): This is a sophisticated microsurgical keyhole procedure that is designed to remove the entire prostate including the cancer while minimising side effects on urinary continence and sexual function. The advanced da Vinci robot from Intuitive Surgical can detect the size, location and behaviour of the cancer. It also gives surgeons a magnified 3D view, unrivalled range of motion and motion scaling which helps to preserve vital structures while removing the prostate with the cancer. RALP is one of the best evidenced and reassuring treatments we have.
- Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy is often combined with various periods of hormone treatment which induces a mild male 'menopause'. The radiotherapy employs the use of targeted electron beams that are directed accurately with sophisticated computerised machines. The combination of hormone therapy and radiotherapy has been shown to have equal cure rates over 15 years when compared to radical prostatectomy when treating PSA detected early prostate cancers (ii). Typically, the treatment takes four to six weeks. This combination treatment avoids the risks associated to general anaesthetic and a surgical intervention. The newer image-guided targeted stereotactic radiotherapy can deliver the treatment in five days without hormone therapy for smaller and well-behaved tumours.
- High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): This innovative treatment uses high-energy ultrasound beams to target and treat prostate cancer. The procedure takes about an hour and a half and is performed under general anaesthetic. HIFU is particularly suitable for men with prostate cancer visible on an MRI scan and contained to one area of the prostate. It helps preserve urinary and sexual function, which can be affected by surgery or radiotherapy.
- Cryotherapy: Needles are inserted into the areas that contain prostate cancer which are than frozen with little impact on urinary and sexual function.
Research and new treatments for prostate cancer
We are involved in a wide range of clinical research and are continuously searching for new and better ways to manage prostate cancer.
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, in collaboration with Imperial College London and other institutions, is leading a new prostate cancer screening trial called the TRANSFORM screening trial. This £42 million trial, backed by Prostate Cancer UK, aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer and has the potential to more than double the impact of screening, ultimately reducing prostate cancer deaths by up to 40%. The trial will evaluate fast MRI scans, PSA testing, and genetics to determine the most effective method for diagnosis.
Find out more
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please contact us:
Call: +44 (0) 20 3311 7700
Email: imperial.private.healthcare@nhs.net