A groundbreaking trial for a prostate cancer treatment has been launched in the UK, with the hope of reducing the side effects. Backed by the government-funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the trial will examine whether Aquablation – a therapy using robotics, AI and real-time imaging – works as well or better than traditional surgery. Currently, the entire prostate gland is removed in a bid to cure men of prostate cancer, in a procedure called radical prostatectomy. It is only suitable for men whose cancer has not spread outside of the prostate gland or has spread to the area just outside the gland, and carries a risk of serious side effects, such as infection, erectile dysfunction and urinary problems. With Aquablation, which is less invasive, experts hope to minimise these issues. The new therapy, which involves a robotic-assisted, high-pressure water jet, allows surgeons to map the entire prostate in real time with ultrasound. Using the technique, medics find cancerous tissue to remove while avoiding surrounding nerves and muscles associated with erectile function …