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Prostate Cancer Detection
An imaging-first diagnostic pathway, using advanced prostate imaging to help determine whether a biopsy is needed, rather than relying on a PSA result alone.
A world-leading authority in prostate cancer detection and minimally invasive treatment
MD · FRCS (Urol)
Professor Mark Emberton is Professor of Interventional Oncology and Director of the Division of Surgery and Interventional Science at University College London, as well as an Honorary Consultant Urologist at UCLH. His research team designed and led the pivotal studies that established prostate MRI as a key component of prostate cancer diagnosis worldwide. He has also been at the forefront of developing and introducing tissue-preserving focal therapies for prostate cancer, helping to advance less invasive, targeted approaches to treatment.
600+
Peer-reviewed publications
54,000+
Academic citations (h-index 108)
UCL
Professor of Interventional Oncology
- Specialist Register
- MD, FRCS (Urol)
- Professor, UCL
- OBE · FMedSci
- Bupa · AXA Health · Aviva · WPA · Cigna · Vitality · Allianz · Healix
About
Leading Expertise · Personalised Care
Professor Mark Emberton OBE is one of the UK’s most distinguished academic urologists and an internationally recognised authority on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. He holds the Chair of Interventional Oncology at University College London (UCL), where he is Director of the Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, and is an Honorary Consultant Urologist at University College London Hospitals (UCLH). From 2015 to 2025, he served as Dean of the UCL Faculty of Medical Sciences, leading education and research across cancer, surgery, dentistry, infection and immunity, and general medicine.
Professor Emberton and his team designed and conducted the pivotal studies that led to prostate MRI becoming established as an important part of prostate cancer diagnosis worldwide. He also pioneered image-guided biopsy via the perineum and has played a leading role in developing the evidence for, and clinical introduction of, minimally invasive tissue-preserving treatments known as focal therapies.
In clinical practice, this work has helped transform the way prostate cancer is investigated. MRI before biopsy allows the prostate to be assessed in detail and a patient’s risk to be more accurately evaluated. Where a suspicious area is identified, biopsy can then be targeted to that specific area. For some men, a reassuring MRI may mean that a biopsy can be safely avoided altogether, while for those who do require further investigation, the approach is designed to identify clinically significant cancers more accurately.
Where treatment is necessary, tissue-preserving focal therapies such as HIFU and NanoKnife (irreversible electroporation) can, in appropriately selected patients, target the area of cancer while preserving the surrounding prostate. Not every patient is suitable for focal therapy, and not every prostate cancer requires immediate treatment. An important part of Professor Emberton’s approach is therefore determining when treatment offers a genuine benefit and when careful active surveillance represents the more appropriate course.
Alongside his clinical practice, Professor Emberton is an active researcher, teacher and international lecturer. He has authored more than 600 peer-reviewed publications, with research interests spanning clinical research methodology, alternatives to randomised controlled trials in surgery, diagnostic study design, guideline development and evidence-based healthcare policy. His work has contributed not only to the care of individual patients, but also to the way prostate cancer is diagnosed and managed across healthcare systems internationally.
Professor Emberton was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to prostate cancer research and treatment. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and has been recognised in Tatler’s doctors’ guide as one of the country’s foremost urologists. He also serves as a Trustee of Prostate Action, reflecting his longstanding commitment to improving awareness, treatment and outcomes for men affected by prostate disease.
Specialities & treatments
Areas of specialist practice
Professor Emberton provides specialist assessment and treatment for men with a raised or rising PSA and those diagnosed with localised prostate cancer, offering an individualised approach to diagnosis, surveillance and treatment.
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Minimally Invasive Treatment
Tissue-preserving focal therapies are designed to treat the area of the prostate containing cancer while leaving the remaining healthy prostate tissue intact, where clinically appropriate.
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Surveillance & Second Opinions
Not all prostate cancers need immediate treatment. Careful monitoring can help identify which cancers can safely be watched, while a specialist second opinion can provide additional clarity on a diagnosis or proposed treatment plan before you make a decision.
Symptoms
What might bring you to see me?
You don’t need to have a diagnosis before seeking specialist advice. Professor Emberton can assess your individual circumstances, review any relevant results or findings and advise on the most appropriate next steps.
- A raised PSA result, or a PSA that is rising over time
- An abnormal finding on prostate examination or on an MRI scan
- Difficulty starting to pass urine, or a weak or slow stream
- Passing urine frequently, including waking at night to urinate
- A sudden, urgent need to pass urine that you can’t defer
- Feeling that your bladder doesn’t empty completely
- Blood in the urine or in semen
- Discomfort when passing urine, or pain in the pelvis or lower back
- A family history of prostate cancer, or concern about your own risk
- A recent prostate cancer diagnosis, and you would like a second opinion
- Prostate cancer already under surveillance that you would like reviewed
These symptoms can have a number of different causes and do not necessarily indicate a specific condition. A consultation allows your consultant to understand your symptoms, arrange any appropriate investigations and recommend the most appropriate treatment, if needed.
Conditions
What Conditions Do I Treat?
Prostate cancer
Diagnosis & risk
Minimally invasive treatment
Why patients choose this practice
What you can expect from your care
Consultant-led care from start to finish
You’ll be seen by your chosen consultant at every appointment, ensuring continuity of care and a personalised approach from your first consultation through to follow-up.
Prompt access to specialist care
Routine appointments are typically available within 24–48 hours, with urgent consultations offered wherever clinically appropriate.
A multidisciplinary approach
When needed, your care is supported by a wider network of specialist nurses, pelvic health physiotherapists, expert radiologists and multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions, ensuring every treatment recommendation is carefully considered.
Clear, personalised treatment plans
Every consultation concludes with a clear, personalised plan. Whether further investigations, treatment or reassurance is appropriate, your consultant will explain the next steps and provide a detailed clinic letter, with a copy sent to your GP or referring healthcare professional where appropriate.
Continuity throughout your care
From your first consultation to follow-up, you’ll remain under the care of your consultant and their dedicated practice team, giving you a consistent point of contact whenever you need advice or support.
Transparent fees and insurance guidance
Consultation and treatment fees are explained clearly before you proceed. We work with most major private medical insurers and can advise on any referral or authorisation requirements before your appointment.
Clinic locations
Expert care in Marylebone, or by video from anywhere
Professor Emberton holds a private outpatient clinic at 18 Devonshire Street on Tuesdays, and a weekly virtual clinic on Wednesdays for consultations by video or telephone. Patients can choose between face-to-face and remote consultations.
18 Devonshire Street
MaryleboneLondon W1G 7AQ
Tuesdays Clinic details →
Virtual consultation
By video or telephoneWherever you are
Wednesdays Request an appointment →
University College London Hospitals
Honorary Consultant UrologistNHS referral required Referral information →
Consultation & Fees
Transparent pricing from the outset
Consultation fees are listed below. If further investigations or treatment are recommended, you’ll receive clear information about the associated costs before proceeding. If you’re using private medical insurance, we can advise whether your consultant is fee assured and help you with any information needed for authorisation. We recommend checking your level of cover directly with your insurer.
| Service | What's included | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| New patient consultation | Initial assessment, clinical examination, and discussion of appropriate investigations and treatment options Self-funding rate. | £340 |
| Follow-up consultation | Review of investigation results, post-operative findings including histology, recovery, and ongoing management Self-funding rate. | £230 |
| Diagnostic investigations | Fees vary depending on the investigations required and will be confirmed in advance | On request |
| Surgical procedures | Fees vary depending on the procedure required and will be confirmed in writing before booking | On request |
Recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, WPA, Cigna, Vitality, Allianz and Healix. We also work with other insurance providers and embassies by prior agreement and with an appropriate letter of guarantee where required. A GP referral is not required to book a private consultation, although many insurers may require one before authorising treatment — please check your policy or contact us to discuss your arrangements.
Please note:
Diagnostic investigations
If diagnostic investigations are recommended, these will be arranged with the relevant hospital or healthcare provider. The provider will advise you of the associated costs and invoice you separately. These charges are not included in the consultation fee.
Surgical procedures
If a surgical procedure is recommended, we will provide a quote for the consultant’s surgical fee in advance. This fee will be invoiced separately by London Urology Specialists.
Hospital charges are separate from the consultant’s surgical fee and will be invoiced directly by the relevant hospital. Where an anaesthetist is required, their professional fee will also be invoiced separately.
What patients say
Personal stories · Trusted care
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The Practice
Part of London Urology Specialists
Professor Mark Emberton is one of nine consultant urological surgeons at London Urology Specialists, a consultant-led private practice providing specialist urological care across Central London. The practice is built around personalised, evidence-based care, combining clinical expertise with clear communication and a collaborative approach to patient management.
Together, the consultants provide comprehensive care across five specialist clinics: Urological Cancer, Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Stone Disease and Adolescent Urology. If your symptoms require expertise outside Professor Emberton’s specialist practice, you can be referred seamlessly to an appropriate colleague within London Urology Specialists, ensuring continuity of care without the need to seek treatment elsewhere.
The principal consulting rooms are at 18 Devonshire Street, on The Harley Street Clinic campus. Consultants also hold practising privileges at St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, Welbeck Hospital, Cleveland Clinic London, the Chelsea Outpatient Centre, Charing Cross Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, the Cromwell Hospital and The Portland Hospital, offering patients a choice of convenient locations across London.
Common questions
Before you book
Do I need a referral from my GP?
A referral is not required to book a private consultation, and you are welcome to contact us directly. If you have any relevant test results, imaging or clinic letters, please share them with your consultant’s secretary before your appointment where possible.
If you are using private medical insurance, please check your policy beforehand, as your insurer may require a letter from a GP or another healthcare professional to authorise your consultation.
Which insurers are recognised?
Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, WPA, Cigna, Vitality, Allianz and Healix. We also work with a range of other insurance providers and embassies, subject to prior agreement and the provision of an appropriate letter of guarantee where required.
If you are using private medical insurance, please check whether your policy requires pre-authorisation before your first appointment. For other insurers or embassy-sponsored care, please contact us and our team will be happy to discuss the arrangements with you.
How much does a self-pay consultation cost?
For self-pay patients, a new patient consultation is £340 and a follow-up consultation is £230.
Please note that consultation fees do not include the cost of any additional investigations, procedures or treatment that may be recommended.
Diagnostic investigations
If diagnostic investigations are recommended, these will be arranged with the relevant hospital or healthcare provider. The provider will advise you of the associated costs and invoice you separately. These charges are not included in the consultation fee.
Surgical procedures
If a surgical procedure is recommended, we will provide a quote for the consultant’s surgical fee in advance. This fee will be invoiced separately by London Urology Specialists.
Hospital charges are separate from the consultant’s surgical fee and will be invoiced directly by the relevant hospital. Where an anaesthetist is required, their professional fee will also be invoiced separately.
When are clinics held?
Tuesdays at 18 Devonshire Street, and Wednesdays as a virtual
clinic. You can choose between a face-to-face or a remote
consultation.
Can I be seen on the NHS?
Yes. Professor Emberton is an Honorary Consultant Urologist at
University College London Hospitals. If you would like to be seen
through the NHS, you will need a referral through the usual NHS
pathway. Your GP can advise you on the referral process.
Appointments
Book a consultation
Whether you’re self-referring or have been referred by a GP or another healthcare professional, our experienced team will guide you through every step of the booking process. We’ll arrange the earliest suitable appointment, answer any questions you may have and ensure you have everything you need before your consultation. If you have any relevant test results, imaging or clinic letters, we’ll let you know how these can be shared in advance. If you’d like to discuss your symptoms or the most appropriate consultant before booking, our team will be happy to advise.