MEN diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer in South Devon are among the first to benefit from a major new radiotherapy treatment being rolled out across the NHS.

Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is now being delivered at Torbay Hospital, offering patients a more targeted treatment that could reduce the risk of their cancer spreading or returning.

And Stephen Dwyer-Lapthorne has made history as the first man in the area to receive the treatment.

Stephen was diagnosed with localised prostate cancer in October 2025 and has been offered five SABR sessions over a two-week period.

The new approach means patients can complete their course in just five treatments, compared with around 20 sessions required with standard external beam radiotherapy.

‘I was so pleased to be offered SABR at Torbay Hospital’, Stephen said.

‘With only one session left, I don’t feel anything other than slightly fatigued, although I’m expecting potential side effects later’, he added.

Stephen will have another PSA test after completing his treatment before returning for a six-week follow-up appointment.

NHS England approved the national use of prostate SABR in June, opening up the treatment to thousands of men across the country.

Around 55,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.

Naomi Hopkins, Head of Radiotherapy at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said the rollout was ‘fantastic news’ for patients with low or intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

‘We are delighted that we are delivering prostate SABR locally, helping patients receive their treatment closer to home without needing to travel far’, she said.

She added that delivering SABR locally would mean patients could access treatment closer to home, without lengthy journeys to other hospitals.