Spacer gel nhs

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User

Posted 02 Feb 2025 at 09:12

Is this available throughout the country on the nhs as I have been informed that my treatment provider in Sheffield don’t use this and that I will need to pay for it privately if I want it.

User

Posted 02 Feb 2025 at 20:01

Hello MJ,

I underwent Brachytherapy two and a half years ago. NHS hospitals did some trials with spacer gels however I think the practice was discontinued. I asked the doctor who was going to do my procedure if I should try a spacer and he said no. He did not offer any explanation however I later found out that the spacer can block some of the prostate and can adversely affect the radioactive treatment

FYI a private hospital at the time could fit one for me for £7,600. I decided not to get one.

Rgds

David

User

Posted 02 Feb 2025 at 21:29

Hi Dave, I was under the impression the SpaceOAR is placed to protect the bowel from RT damage, I hadn't realised it can have adverse effects. Thought it was a no-brainer to get this done if people can afford the private path, as most NHS hospitals won't cover the cost.

But reading over some other forum messages, it does indeed seem to be the case it very much depends on where the PCa is and the grading.

Edited by member 02 Feb 2025 at 21:44 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 02 Feb 2025 at 23:34

NHS England doesn't fund rectal spacers centrally. They only did in 2018 and 2019 at a handful of cancer centres as a trial. There was also the ICEMAN trial (which would have been funded by the manufacturer). Rectal spacers were more important in the past before radiotherapy got so accurate, but that's not to say there's not still a benefit today, just that the benefit is less, and not worth the NHS paying for spacers for everyone.

Many hospitals buy a small number from their own funds for special cases, such as patients with IBS, or on lifelong blood thinners, but it also depends on the type of radiotherapy. Just occasionally, someone without a special reason will get one because the stock has hit its Use-By date, and would otherwise be thrown out.

User

Posted 03 Feb 2025 at 09:27

I got one at the Norfolk and Norwich funded on the NHS. It's designed (as the name suggests) to put some space between your rectum and prostate. You can then get radiotherapy to the edge of your prostate and beyond without affecting your rectum, or at least reducing the side effects.

I was told it had he same consistency as human tissue so I don't think it should affect the effectiveness that much considering how much other body tissue and bone the radiotherapy has to pass through compared to the size of the spacer.

Anyway, I think I probably got the green light for one based on my age (49), in the hope it reduces any long term effects.

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