Men with prostate cancer could benefit from radical radiotherapy that delivers treatment in just five visits - instead of the usual 37.
A clinical trial led by Queen's University Belfast uses an advanced treatment called 'SABR' (Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy).
SABR is highly accurate in targeting certain cancers, and delivers large doses per treatment - allowing men to have their full course of radiotherapy in only five hospital visits.
In addition, patients in the study have SpaceOAR - a minimally invasive hydrogel technology - inserted before the treatment.
Researchers say in previous studies, SpaceOAR has been shown to "significantly decrease" unwanted radiotherapy side effects.
The early results from the SPORT trial (A Study Evaluating Stereotactic Prostate Radiotherapy in High-Risk Localised Prostate Cancer) is the first if its kind in the UK.
