Brachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive "seeds" into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. Implants may be short-term or permanent. They may give off high or low amounts of radiation.
Alternative NamesImplant therapy - prostate cancer; Radioactive seed placement
DescriptionBrachytherapy takes 30 minutes or more, depending on the type of therapy you have. Before the procedure, you will be given medicine so that you do not feel pain. You may receive:
After you receive anesthesia:
Types of brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is often used for men with smaller prostate cancer that is found early and is slow-growing. Brachytherapy has fewer complications and side effects than standard radiation therapy. You will also need fewer visits with the doctor.
See also: Radical prostatectomy
RisksRisks for any anesthesia are:
Risks for any surgery are:
Risks for this procedure are:
Rare problems are ulcers (sores) or fistulas (openings) in the rectum, scarring, and narrowing of your urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder out of your body).
Before the ProcedureAlways tell your doctor or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.
Before this procedure:
On the day of the procedure:
After an outpatient therapy procedure, you can return home as soon as the anesthesia wears off. Very rarely, you will need to spend 1 to 2 days in the hospital.
If you have a permanent implant, your doctor may tell you to limit the amount of time you spend around children and women who are pregnant for a while after the procedure.
You may be sleepy and have some mild pain and tenderness after the procedure. If you stay in the hospital, your visitors will need to follow special radiation safety precautions.
Outlook (Prognosis)Most people remain cancer-free or have good control of their cancer for many years after this treatment. Some urinary and rectal symptoms may last for months. One common urinary problem is the inability to empty the bladder and you may need to have a Foley catheter (tube) in place to drain the bladder temporarily.
ReferencesD'Amico AV, Crook J, Beard CJ, DeWeese TL, Hurwitz M, Kaplan I. Radiation therapy for prostate cancer. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 100.
Nelson WG, Carter HB. DeWeese TL, Eisenberger MA. Prostate cancer. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 88.
Brachytherapy is a procedure to implant radioactive "seeds" into the prostate gland to kill prostate cancer cells. Implants may be short-term or permanent. They may give off high or low amounts of radiation.
Alternative NamesImplant therapy - prostate cancer; Radioactive seed placement; Internal radiation therapy - prostate
DescriptionBrachytherapy takes 30 minutes or more, depending on the type of therapy you have. Before the procedure, you will be given medicine so that you do not feel pain. You may receive:
After you receive anesthesia:
Types of brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is often used for men with smaller prostate cancer that is found early and is slow-growing. Brachytherapy has fewer complications and side effects than standard radiation therapy. You will also need fewer visits with the doctor.
See also:
RisksRisks for any anesthesia are:
Risks for any surgery are:
Risks for this procedure are:
Always tell your doctor or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.
Before this procedure:
On the day of the procedure:
After an outpatient therapy procedure, you can return home as soon as the anesthesia wears off. Very rarely, you will need to spend 1 to 2 days in the hospital.
If you have a permanent implant, your doctor may tell you to limit the amount of time you spend around children and women who are pregnant for a while after the procedure. After a few weeks to months, the radiation is gone and will not cause any harm. Because of this, there is no need to take out the seeds.
You may be sleepy and have some mild pain and tenderness after the procedure. If you stay in the hospital, your visitors will need to follow special radiation safety precautions.
Outlook (Prognosis)Most people remain cancer-free or have good control of their cancer for many years after this treatment. Some urinary and rectal symptoms may last for months.
ReferencesD'Amico AV, Crook J, Beard CJ, DeWeese TL, Hurwitz M, Kaplan I. Radiation therapy for prostate cancer. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 100.
Nelson WG, Carter HB. DeWeese TL, Eisenberger MA. Prostate cancer. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 88.
Wilt TJ, MacDonald R, et al. Systematic review: comparative effectiveness and harms of treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer. Ann Intern Med. 2008;148:435-448.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 01/13/2011
Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Chief of Urology, Cambridge Health Alliance, Visiting Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
My understanding is that Brachytherapy is used to slow down the progression of prostate cancer. But it is not a cure. It is used when the cancer has progressed out side the prostate gland into the lymph nodes in the abdomen. I could be wrong, I have been before :|
It is treated by surgery, Brachytherapy and hormone therapy.
Brachytherapy is a very effective prostate cancer treatment depending on the type of cancer you may be treating. You can learn more at http://www.birminghamprostateclinic.co.uk/treatments/brachytherapy.php
This is called Brachytherapy.
Brachytherapy IS radiation treatment. Irradiated seeds are placed into or next to a cancerous area. These seeds are then irradiated causing the cancer to die.
That is called Brachytherapy. Little seeds are inserted into the prostate gland and they are then irradiated. The radiation kills off the cancer cells that are near the seeds.
Yes it does. The radiation used may have an adverse effect on the surrounding tissues and may lead to cancers of the bladder or rectum years down the road after receiving brachytherapy.
There are several treatments for prostate cancer, including surgery, external beam therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, proton beam therapy, cryotherapy and brachyterapy. In mild cases a doctor will recommend active observation, as medical intervention is a last resort.
Prostate massage is only recommended for prostate health issues, such as enlarged prostate (BPH) or prostatitis (prostate inflammation). Due to the potential risk of releasing prostate cancer cells that can spread to the body, it is not recommended that men with prostate cancer perform prostate massage.
The Prostate was created in 1980.
The Prostate Cancer Infolink. http://www.comed.com/prostate.
Prostate Gland