Background: It is important to investigate, diagnose and commence treatment for locally advanced and metastatic prostate cancer quickly to optimise treatment outcomes. Since the introduction of national 2-week wait and 31/62-day targets in the United Kingdom for investigation of suspected prostate cancer over 2 decades ago, the clinical pathway has become increasingly complex. This may lead to some patients with the most clinically significant disease having the rapidity of their diagnosis and commencement of treatment compromised by resource use in diagnosing less significant, or clinically insignificant, disease. Methods: We will conduct a retrospective review of timelines for diagnosis and commencement of treatment for all men referred to a tertiary unit for investigation of suspected prostate cancer on the 2-week wait pathway in a 3-month period in 2023. In parallel, we will introduce triaging of all new 2-week wait referrals in a prospective 3-month period, with a dedicated nurse navigator streamlining patients for the most rapid investigation and treatment, based on pre-specified risk criteria including PSA, pre-biopsy mpMRI findings including TNM staging, and histology results. We hypothesise that this bespoke triaging system, above and beyond the 2-week wait and 2022 Faster Diagnostic Pathway guidance issued by NHS England, will improve timings for investigation and commencement of treatment for the most clinically significant prostate cancer cases. Conclusions: The use of in-house criteria for triaging and stratification of the most clinically urgent and significant prostate cancer cases, identified by a nurse specialist navigator, may improve clinical outcomes for patients with greatest need for rapid prostate cancer imaging, diagnosis and treatment.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding.

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

We have registered an actionable review of the entire 2-week wait and 28/62-day prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment pathway at our Institution (Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust). This registered QIP (OUH reference number 8381) aims to allow all those engaged in the various multiple steps of the 2-week wait and 28/62-day pathway to triage the highest risk cases for the most rapid diagnosis and treatment, whilst simultaneously safeguarding against undue delay for lower-risk cases as an unintended consequence.

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Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

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All data produced in the present work are contained in the manuscript.