Micropos backs wider awareness of precision prostate radiotherapy

Radiotherapy remains underused in Europe

Modern radiotherapy for prostate cancer is as effective as surgery, with potential advantages in preserving urinary continence and sexual function, according to the announcement. However, radiotherapy remains underused in several European countries despite growing scientific evidence.

The announcement says that nearly all men with non-metastatic prostate cancer who require active treatment are candidates for primary radiotherapy under European Association of Urology guidelines. Yet national registries show radiotherapy being used in as few as 12, 22% of radically treated patients in some European countries. Many patients also remain insufficiently informed about the treatment's potential benefits.

The issue received attention at the ESTRO 2026 congress in Stockholm and the ASTRO 2026 congress in Boston. Micropos said healthcare professionals, researchers and the medical technology industry are increasingly working together to address persistent misconceptions about radiotherapy.

Five-session treatment compared with robotic surgery

Professor Filippo Alongi of the University of Brescia and IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital pointed to the eight-year follow-up of the PACE-A study, which compared robotic surgery with high-precision radiotherapy delivered in five sessions.

According to Alongi, the study adds long-term evidence on treatment outcomes and indicates advantages for radiotherapy in aspects of the long-term side-effect profile. He also cited the British ProtecT trial, which provided long-term evidence of comparable oncological effectiveness between radiotherapy and surgery.

“Thanks to continuous technological innovation, modern radiotherapy allows us to deliver highly precise treatments in just five sessions in most of the cases, without surgery, anaesthesia or hospitalization,” Alongi said in the announcement. He added that the aim is to cure prostate cancer while preserving patients' quality of life over the long term.

The announcement also references research into single-session and three-session approaches. Professor Stefano Arcangeli said research from the ABRUPT study examined single-dose radiotherapy with intrafraction motion control, while Professor Duncan McLaren described the ongoing PRECISION study of three-fraction treatment with real-time tumor tracking.

Focus shifts to communication and patient choice

Minimising side effects, reducing the number of treatment sessions and giving patients clearer information were among the themes discussed at ESTRO 2026. Professor Piet Ost said clinicians should explain treatment options clearly rather than focusing primarily on machines and techniques.

Dr Carmen Rubio Rodriguez said highly precise stereotactic body radiotherapy, supported by advanced image guidance and real-time motion management, allows many patients with localized prostate cancer to receive curative, non-invasive treatment in a few outpatient sessions. She said eligible patients should be informed so they can make a genuinely informed choice.

Hanna Syrén, Micropos Medical's COO and QA/RA Director, said the company exists “to improve patients' quality of life” and welcomed closer collaboration across the radiation oncology community. Micropos is behind the Raypilot System, a technology the announcement describes as enabling highly precise radiotherapy.

For patients, the initiative points to a wider effort to make radiotherapy a more visible treatment option and to support shared decisions about care. The company and the clinicians quoted in the announcement argue that clearer information, shorter treatment courses and improved motion management could help expand access to high-precision treatment, although individual treatment choices remain a clinical decision.