By Ben Spencer Medical Correspondent For The Daily Mail
Published: 00:51 BST, 11 May 2019 | Updated: 00:54 BST, 11 May 2019
View
comments
Thousands of prostate cancer patients could be spared the side effects of radiotherapy thanks to a revolutionary gel which protects organs from radiation.
NHS bosses are so impressed by the ‘hydrogel’ treatment that they have provided funding for 1,000 men to receive it over the next year.
The Daily Mail is campaigning for an urgent improvement of prostate cancer treatments and diagnosis, which are years behind other diseases such as breast cancer.
Some 15,000 men with prostate cancer receive radiotherapy every year – nearly a third of the 47,000 diagnosed in Britain annually.
Thousands of prostate cancer patients could be spared the side effects of radiotherapy thanks to a revolutionary gel which protects organs from radiation. The hydrogel is injected before treatment starts, providing a cushion behind the prostate during radiotherapy (stock image)
Radiotherapy is a highly effective way to treat the cancer, particularly if it is given at an early stage of the disease, when it permanently eradicates 60 per cent of tumours.
However, because surrounding organs are radiated at the same time it can involve long-term side effects, including impotence and bowel problems.
The hydrogel – made mostly of water –
