At Bloomberg, Jason Gale and Ashleigh Furlong recently reported on the groundbreaking work of Professor Hashim Ahmed, Chair of Urology at Imperial College London. Their feature highlights how Ahmed and his team are pioneering a new way forward in prostate cancer treatment - one that could save lives while sparing men from many of the harsh side effects of conventional approaches. 

Summary 

For decades, men with prostate cancer have been faced with a stark choice: live with the disease, or undergo aggressive treatments such as surgery or radiation that often left lifelong side effects like incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Now, new approaches are offering hope for more precise and humane care. 

Smarter Screening 

Professor Hashim Ahmed, Chair of Urology at Imperial College London, is leading efforts to transform prostate cancer diagnosis. He is running the Transform Trial, the largest UK prostate cancer screening study in 20 years, involving more than 250,000 men. The study is testing smarter screening methods, including rapid MRI scans in mobile vans, with the goal of detecting aggressive cancers earlier while reducing over diagnosis. 

Focal Therapy

Instead of treating the entire prostate, focal therapy targets only the cancerous area using high-intensity focused ultrasound. This precise technique minimises damage to surrounding tissue, helping men avoid many of the debilitating side effects of traditional treatments. Studies suggest the risks of incontinence and erectile dysfunction can be reduced from as high as 40–70% to just a few percent.

Looking Ahead

Despite promising results, focal therapy is still considered “investigational” in the UK and globally. Fewer than 10% of eligible men currently receive it, and access is uneven. Wider adoption could not only improve quality of life for patients but also reduce healthcare costs through fewer complications and faster recovery times.

Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide, with cases expected to more than double by 2040. Smarter screening and innovative treatments like focal therapy are the key to saving lives and sparing men unnecessary suffering.

Read the full article here - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-02/focal-therapy-for-prostate-cancer-care-is-an-emerging-new-treatment