Guy's Hospital pilots prostate cancer treatment

The first NHS use of a new laser therapy to treat prostate cancer has shown promising results, a London hospital has said.

Guy's Hospital in Southwark is using ProFocal laser therapy in a pilot study to treat 30 patients with localised prostate cancer.

The hospital said among the first 10 patients treated by the therapy, eight had their cancer completely eradicated in the treated area, and two had a minimal amount remaining.

Alex McWhirter, 77, a semi-retired travel journalist, was one of the patients in the pilot. He said: "Compared to the other options, such as surgical removal of the prostate or radiotherapy, this really feels like a huge leap forward."

The hospital described the therapy as "minimally invasive". It treats tumours by directly transferring laser energy into the mass through a fine laser fibre housed within a cooled metal rod.

It is different to other focal therapy systems as it can be applied to all regions of the prostate, including areas that may be more difficult to reach, said Rick Popert, senior consultant urological surgeon at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

The rod is inserted through the perineum and guided to the cancerous area using MRI and ultrasound imaging.

The procedure takes about one hour and is performed under a light general anaesthetic so that patients can return home the same day.

The pilot is the first time the technology has been used in a European hospital, the NHS said.

Patient Chris Bearfoot spoke to BBC London ahead of his treatment. The 61-year-old was diagnosed with localised prostate cancer in January.

He described the laser therapy as "fantastic".

"The side effects seem so far reduced compared to what it would have been if I'd had more traditional surgery," he said.

McWhirter, who was diagnosed with localised prostate cancer in early 2025, described the therapy as "straightforward".

"The surgery was simple, I went home right afterwards and apart from minimal blood in my urine the night afterwards, I've had no side effects at all, and my scans so far are all clear," he said.

Popert said the therapy aimed to treat the cancer effectively and preserve "as much normal prostate tissue and function as possible".

He added that it could become a new treatment option for some patients, following long-term testing.

The surgeon said he first saw the technology in Australia more than four years ago, and said it was introduced to Guy's Hospital following regulatory approvals and support from Guy's Cancer Charity.

He said: "There's been a study that's been done in Australia on over 100 patients, and we are replicating that study here in the first 30 patients.

"Although these are still early results, we have been greatly encouraged by what we have seen.

"The ultimate aim is that this treatment will be available within the UK once we get UK Conformity Assessed mark."

Pilot patients will receive regular follow-ups, including an MRI at one year to assess the long-term durability of the therapy, the hospital said.

The ProFocal Laser Therapy System was purchased through a £125,000 donation from the London Freemasons, administered by Guy's Cancer Charity.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk