Prostate cancer patient Neil Connolly, will be appearing alongside award winning writer and BBC Radio 4 comedian Jon Holmes in a brand new quiz style podcast to support prostate cancer patients.

The one-off episode – called ‘The Big C QuizCast’ – has been created by GenesisCare to help men fully understand their treatment options including the latest advancements, so that they can make an informed decision about their best course of action.

The podcast blends the latest research with Jon’s unique humour and personal experience of prostate cancer to prompt important conversation around treatments and the frequency of recurrence. His guests include UK leading prostate cancer experts and men like Neil living with a prostate cancer diagnosis.

Neil Connolly

Neil, 57, a local school caretaker, explains how a private health check his wife bought him for Christmas in 2023 became a life‑changing gift.

Neil attended his check‑up in January 2024 and was told his PSA levels were slightly raised. When a second test through his GP in March showed they had increased again, he was sent for an MRI scan and biopsy. The results confirmed the news he had feared — prostate cancer.

“It was a complete shock! I hadn’t been experiencing any symptoms and I was convinced, even up to the point my biopsy results came through, that it was all a mistake. I had no history of cancer in my family so as soon as I received the diagnosis, I told my brothers so they could get checked and thankfully, despite being older than me, their PSA tests have come back OK. It was purely by chance I had this PSA blood test, otherwise my prostate cancer would have gone undetected.”

Whilst the thought of surgery initially appealed to Neil he says “I just wanted to get all the cancer out of my body as soon as possible.”

Neil was concerned about the risk to loss of sexual function, as he was still so young and his wife was ten years younger. He was also told that even with surgery, there was still a chance of recurrence later. But all the radiotherapy options felt quite overwhelming.

“My clinician explained the different radiotherapy options available at the time, all of which were either quite invasive or would have required up to six weeks of treatment. He also outlined the potential risks to my bowel and bladder and explained these treatments could make it more difficult to remove my prostate surgically at a later date, if that became necessary. When you’re first hit with a cancer diagnosis, it’s incredibly hard to know what the best option is. I genuinely had no idea what to choose."


The podcast launch follows new research unveiling an alarming knowledge gap when it comes to patient treatment pathway options. Nearly half 47%of men don’t feel fully informed about their treatment options when they receive a prostate cancer diagnosis and when choosing their treatment options. Reasons for their knowledge gap include feeling overwhelmed (45%), scared (36%) or embarrassed to ask questions (26%) or being confused due to lack of clear guidance (36%). Startlingly, nearly two thirds of men 60% admit they felt better informed when purchasing their last car than when selecting their prostate cancer treatment.

Despite feeling blindsided by information overload, worryingly over a third (34%) of prostate cancer patients are never told about all the treatment options available, including the latest innovation in advanced radiotherapy treatment, which could potentially deliver a better quality of life versus traditional radiotherapy methods.

Neil continues “I really do believe that if you’re diagnosed, it’s important to know about all the available treatment options – even if you have to travel to access them – because at least then you can make a fully informed decision. For anyone going through this I’d say if it’s suitable for you, treatment on the MR Linac offers a less invasive and painless alternative to surgery. It’s also quicker, more convenient, has fewer side effects, and eliminates the need for a hospital stay. I also now understand that if my cancer returns this means I would be able to have radiotherapy for a second time.

When I heard about the MR Linac at GenesisCare, it immediately appealed – it’s more accurate, and more targeted. It honestly felt like a no‑brainer. And I was delighted that I would not need to have hormone therapy, as from what I’d heard that can sometimes be worse than the radiotherapy itself. If I hadn’t had private medical insurance for treatment on the MR Linac, I would have paid for it myself.

In January 2025 I went to the GenesisCare centre at the Cromwell Hospital in London to have my treatment. I had 5 treatment sessions over a two-week period. There’s nothing negative to say about my treatment experience other than my biggest problem was having to have a full bladder. However, the treatment itself was only 20 minutes each time.”

For many men (myself included) the prostate knowledge gap is a yawning one. And not just because most men find that talking about their own health yawn-inducingly dull. Not to mention embarrassing. Traditionally, we’re happier discussing sport or films in the pub, rather than anything to do with how many times we have to get up in the night to go for a wee. In fact, before I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in early 2023, I hadn’t got the slightest idea what a prostate was or did and was only dimly aware that I even had one – although I certainly didn’t know where it was. It’s fair to say, however, that once one is on the cancer treadmill, it’s a pretty steep learning curve. Except - there are still gaps, as this white paper proves. The message here, then, to men and their families is: if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer ask questions. Your health isn’t dull – it’s important.

The research was commissioned by GenesisCare UK in a bid to both identify and address patients’ knowledge gap during their diagnosis and empower them to ask about treatment options which can offer a better quality of life both during and beyond the treatment process.

Patients should be fully informed of the appropriate treatment options available at the time of diagnosis, together with the potential pathways should primary treatment not achieve long-term control. They should have access to both an oncologist and surgeon if appropriate, to discuss the range of options, likelihood of cancer control and the possible side effects of each approach. This informed decision making is achieved through multidisciplinary team working, ensuring the best outcomes for patients, while taking into account the clinical evidence, the patient’s concerns, their priorities and quality of life goals”.

To help prostate cancer patients fully understand their treatment options at the time of diagnosis GenesisCare has created a 'Mind the Gap' treatment pathway guide. This infographic outlines all prostate cancer treatment options available following a diagnosis - and how your choice affects your options if the cancer returns.

With 92% of men admitting they have gaps in their knowledge about their treatment pathway at the time of diagnosis GenesisCare is launching a number of digital tools - including the ‘Mind the Gap’ treatment pathway infographic and a quiz podcast - which are freely accessible on the GenesisCare UK website to help support patients and families navigate their prostate cancer journey.

The tools are launched today alongside a white paper report entitled: ‘Mind the Gap - Navigating your prostate cancer treatment pathway which aims to better inform healthcare professionals and patients about all the latest advancements in treatments for prostate cancer, so that patients can make informed decisions about their best course of treatment.

The white paper also champions the latest cancer radiotherapy treatment, specifically the ground-breaking technology of the MR Linac. The MR Linac is an innovative radiotherapy machine with an integrated MRI scanner, which allows clinicians to see the tumour as they treat. This real-time MRI-guidance provides pinpoint treatment accuracy. Because the system only activates when the radiation beam and the tumour are perfectly positioned it automatically pauses if the tumour moves by a fraction, such as when the patient breathes. This helps protect healthy tissue from unnecessary radiation exposure, leading to fewer side effects. This also allows higher doses of radiotherapy to be delivered safely and effectively, meaning treatment can often be completed in a much shorter timeframe – sometimes in as few as five sessions.

Dr Yae-eun Suh continues, “The MR Linac machines deliver MRI-guided SABR using smart radiation technology and real-time MRI imaging to see the prostate and surrounding organs during treatment. This allows us to reduce the treatment margins safely around the prostate and adapt radiation delivery for every treatment, improving accuracy and minimising side effects”

GenesisCare has made a commitment to offering the latest technology in cancer treatment. Investment has been made in more MR Linac radiotherapy machines than any other provider globally, making it more accessible for patients across the UK. GenesisCare’s expert team have successfully treated more individuals in the UK using MR Linac technology than any other provider and strive to deliver the most advanced, innovative treatments for patient to achieve the best cancer outcomes without compromising quality of life.

GenesisCare UK’s new – and 15th – specialist outpatient cancer centre opening in Leeds later this year, will have the unique ability to personalise radiotherapy in real-time, using both MRI and CT imaging, offering patients treatment precisely tailored to their specific cancer. This will establish GenesisCare UK as one of a small group of cancer centres worldwide with the ability to provide adaptive radiotherapy for every patient who would benefit from this innovative approach.

For more information and access to the GenesisCare digital tools visit https://www.genesiscare.com/uk/mind-the-gap