Private prostate cancer treatment and diagnosis at GenesisCare

Prostate cancer does not always cause symptoms, and early disease is often identified using a single simple PSA blood test. However, signs of an enlarged prostate (usually benign, but occasionally due to cancer), include difficulty urinating, such as poor or intermittent flow, difficulty starting or stopping, needing to urinate more often or urgently, especially at night. Blood in your urine or semen, lower back pain, pain in your testicles or unexplained weight loss are rarer signs of prostate cancer, but still worthy of investigation by a Consultant Urologist.

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to get checked as soon as possible. Not only is it important to determine whether or not it’s cancer, but these symptoms can also be resolved by our prostate experts at our UrologyHub clinic so they don’t affect your day to day life. Sometimes just talking about them and understanding why they’re happening can help. Our doctors are here for you and ready to help in any way.

Find out how to check for prostate cancer

If you’re concerned about potential prostate cancer symptoms, you can come to one of our diagnostic urology clinics for fast access to tests and scans. Our clinics are run by some of the best consultant urologists (doctors specialising in urology, which includes the bladder, kidneys, prostate and testicular problems) in the UK.

Using the latest technology to ensure reliable and accurate results, you can have a full range of diagnostic tests, including:

Our GenesisCare centres also offer more advanced prostate cancer diagnosis techniques, such as:

These sophisticated technologies allow us to make fast and accurate treatment decisions.

If you're worried about symptoms, you can come to one of our UrologyHubs. We offer convenient appointment times, often with same-day results. Clinics are Monday to Friday at varying weekdays and evening times. You can pay for yourself or use private medical insurance (PMI).

There are a number of different treatments used for the management of prostate cancer, and, depending on the circumstances, if one treatment isn't suitable for you or you find it's not working well, there may be other options to consider.

Prostate cancer treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, Theranostics or a combination of these. Your consultant will discuss and agree the best treatment plan for you based on your diagnosis and needs to ensure you achieve the best possible outcome.

Radiotherapy (radiation therapy) uses targeted, high-energy radiation beams to destroy cancer cells. It is often a preferred treatment option for early-stage prostate cancer (which has not yet spread) because it’s less invasive than surgery.

We’re the leading private provider of prostate cancer radiotherapy in the UK. Our latest-generation radiotherapy machines are designed to deliver highly targeted treatment to maximise effectiveness and minimise side effects, such as impotence and incontinence. The accuracy of these technologies, together with the expertise of our teams, means that we can often complete a course of radiotherapy in a shorter amount of time – sometimes in just one week.

The type of radiotherapy and the number of sessions you’ll need will depend on the stage of your cancer. Your consultant will explain these to you when discussing your treatment plan.

Prostate radiotherapy side effects can vary from person to person. Some of the most common side effects of radiotherapy for prostate cancer include:

• Tiredness (fatigue)
• Loss of pubic hair
• Difficulty passing urine
• Diarrhoea
• Erectile dysfunction

You can find out more about radiotherapy and more details on side effects here.

Most side effects will gradually subside once treatment concludes. Some side effects may continue to persist, months or years after your treatment has finished.

Your consultant will discuss these with you during your treatment consultation and answer any questions you might have.

At GenesisCare we also offer integrative cancer care and treatment services that have been proven to benefit people with cancer and help manage side effects. You can find out more about our integrative cancer care here.

If your consultant recommends prostate cancer surgery, for example, a radical prostatectomy to remove your prostate gland, we can conveniently arrange this at one of our partner hospitals. You’ll be able to continue your other treatments and care at GenesisCare.

The GenesisCare team made a huge positive difference in my life

- Steve

Hormone therapy (also called androgen deprivation therapy) blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in your body that prostate cancer needs to grow. Hormone therapy is often used with other treatments like radiotherapy to help make them more effective.

If your consultant decides hormone therapy is the best treatment for you, you can have it either as tablets, injections, implants or by removing your testicles. Your consultant will work with you to develop a personalised care plan based on your specific diagnosis and personal choice.

Throughout your treatment, you’ll be supported by a healthcare team of highly trained nurses and oncology pharmacists who are experts in this treatment. You'll have regular follow-ups, including PSA tests, to check how your treatment is working and manage any side effects.

Hormone therapy often stops working after months or even years. If or when this happens, there are different treatment options available, depending on your previous treatments, symptoms, specific diagnosis and personal preferences. Your doctor might recommend a different type of hormone therapy or a different treatment such as chemotherapy, Radium-223 or 177Lutetium PSMA therapy, or even new treatments available through clinical trials.

Chemotherapy is a type of anti-cancer drug treatment used to kill cancer cells and slow cancer spread. Chemotherapy for prostate cancer is used when the cancer has spread to other parts of your body outside the prostate (called metastases).

We offer access to the latest chemotherapy treatments with specialist cancer nurses, on-site chemotherapy suites and a 24/7 on-call service. Most common side effects caused by chemotherapy are temporary, but you might be affected by them after your treatment ends. We’ll work closely with you to limit the impact of them as much as possible.

If prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it’s called advanced prostate cancer or metastatic prostate cancer. There are various treatment options for advanced prostate cancer. The best treatment for advanced prostate cancer depends on your specific situation, including your general health, diagnosis, and previous treatments.

Each year, hundreds of men choose private prostate cancer treatment at GenesisCare for:

It was brilliant! Right from the receptionist, everyone was smiling, happy faces. It’s a really good place to be ill in!

- Ian

We’re recognised by all private medical insurers. You can get a referral to one of our consultant urologists from your GP or directly via one of our UrologyHub clinics.

Self-pay prices are also available for all diagnostics and treatments on request. Please contact us for the most up to date costs of prostate cancer treatment.