Review: New Prostate Cancer Treatment Trial in the UK and What It Means for Research Histology

A new UK trial aims to reduce side effects from prostate cancer surgery — here’s what researchers should know.

Pic: iStock

Introduction

A new prostate cancer treatment trial has launched in the United Kingdom that could reduce the side effects associated with conventional surgery. This development, reported by Sky News, highlights the growing focus on less invasive therapies designed to preserve quality of life for patients — and underscores the ongoing need for high‑quality histological analysis in cancer research. Sky News

In this post we review the key points from the news story, explain why it matters to researchers — especially those using histology services in and around London — and outline where detailed tissue analysis fits into emerging treatment studies.

What the News Reports

According to Sky News, a groundbreaking trial supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is evaluating a technique called Aquablation for prostate cancer patients whose disease remains confined to the prostate or immediately adjacent tissues. Sky News

Aquablation uses a robotic‑assisted high‑pressure water jet with real‑time imaging — including ultrasound — to selectively remove cancerous tissue while sparing surrounding nerves and structures involved in continence and sexual function. This contrasts with radical prostatectomy, in which the entire prostate gland is removed, often leading to significant side effects like erectile dysfunction, urinary complications, and infection. ITVX

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in London is among the first European centres to recruit patients for the trial, which forms part of a multi‑national study with several hundred participants. ITVX

Why This Matters to Histology Researchers

While Aquablation itself is a surgical innovation, the trial exemplifies broader trends in prostate cancer research that intersect with histology and tissue analysis:

1. Understanding Treatment Effects at the Tissue Level

Histology remains a gold standard for characterising cancer biology before and after new therapies. Even with minimally invasive techniques like Aquablation, researchers rely on tissue architecture and cell morphology to assess treatment impact, tumour cell viability, and local tissue injury. For example, comparing pre‑ and post‑treatment biopsies under H&E and special stains can reveal subtle changes that imaging alone cannot detect.

2. Supporting Biomarker Discovery and Prognosis

Prostate cancer studies increasingly seek tissue‑based biomarkers, such as immune checkpoint expression or stromal patterns, that can predict response or progression. Emerging work shows that replicable tissue phenotypes — captured through stains or digital pathology — correlate with risk of relapse and genetic alterations in prostate tumours. arXiv

3. A Bridge Between Imaging and Molecular Data

New surgical and imaging technologies (like Aquablation’s real‑time ultrasound) create rich datasets, but high‑resolution histology fills the gap between macro‑level imaging and molecular detail. Researchers can confirm the accuracy of in‑situ imaging by correlating it with histological confirmation of tumour margins or residual disease — a key step in validating new treatment modalities.

Broader Context of Prostate Cancer Research

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers in men worldwide, and the expansion of clinical trials and new therapeutic strategies continues to drive demand for tissue‑level insights. Past research has included AI‑driven tools to better classify prostate biopsies at Gleason grade, and molecular profiling to determine who benefits most from combination therapies. University College London

Such efforts highlight the critical role that histology plays in translational cancer research — whether validating treatment response, identifying predictive markers, or enabling machine‑learning models that depend on accurate tissue annotation.

How Histology Services Fit Into Future Treatment

Research

As innovative treatments like Aquablation undergo rigorous testing, they depend on robust pathology and histology workflows. For cancer researchers, this means:

• Routine H&E staining to assess cellular architecture and tumour infiltration

• Special stains (e.g., Masson’s Trichrome, Sirius Red) to evaluate extracellular matrix changes or fibrosis that might influence post‑treatment recovery

• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) to profile immune cell populations or expression of markers relevant to prognosis and therapy response

• Digital slide scanning to integrate histological data with computational models or AI pipelines

These techniques enhance the analytical value of tissue samples used in clinical trials and preclinical studies alike.

LabNexus: Supporting Histology Needs for Prostate and Cancer Research

At LabNexus, we specialise in providing high‑quality research histology services that support the needs of cancer scientists and tissue researchers, particularly those in London and the UK research ecosystem. Our offerings include:

• Comprehensive tissue processing and embedding

• Routine and advanced H&E staining

• A wide range of special stains and IHC panels

• High‑resolution slide scanning compatible with digital analysis workflows

We deliver fast turnaround, cost‑effective results, and reliable documentation tailored for research publications and grant reporting. Please note that LabNexus processes tissues for research purposes only; we do not provide diagnostic services.

If your project involves cancer treatment evaluation, biomarker discovery, or detailed tissue phenotyping, we’re here to help.

Book a free consultation or learn more about our services: https://www.labnexus.co.uk/book-consultation

References

1. “Prostate cancer treatment with potential for fewer side effects to be trialled in UK.” Sky News, 6 Dec 2025. Sky News

2. “Trial for prostate cancer treatment with fewer side‑effects launches in UK.” ITV News, 6 Dec 2025. ITVX

3. Bonnaffé, W. et al. “Histology‑informed tiling of whole tissue sections improves the interpretability and predictability…” arXiv (2025). arXiv

4. “AI test to determine best prostate cancer treatment…” UCL News (2025).