The Brachytherapy Procedure Brachytherapy is a minimally invasive procedure where the doctor implants tiny permanent radioactive seeds (about the size of a grain of rice) into the prostate where they irradiate the cancer from inside the gland. The implanted seeds are small enough that they will not be felt by the patient. Depending on your circumstances, either radioactive Iodine (I -125) or palladium (Pd-103) will be used. Brachytherapy is also referred to as interstitial radiation therapy or seed implant therapy. Before the seeds are implanted, the patient receives anesthesia. Needles containing the seeds are then inserted through the skin of the perineum (the area between the scrotum and anus) using ultrasound guidance. The seeds remain in the prostate, where the radioactive material gives off localized radiation for a number of months to destroy the prostate cancer.

Seed implantation is an effective treatment for men with localized prostate cancer. Seed implantation requires no surgical incision and offers men a short recovery time. Brachytherapy can be an outpatient procedure, and most men go home the same day as their treatment. Additionally, most men can return to their normal activities a few days after treatment.

Brachytherapy selection criteria
Brachytherapy is an option for patients with localized (organ-confined) prostate cancer. New advances in seed technology have made available versions of seeds that allow doctors to securely place them at the border of and adjacent to the prostate to treat cancer that might have extended to the surrounding tissue.

Interest in brachytherapy has been strong over the past few decades, and physicians have long understood that radiation therapy is effective against cancer.

Effectiveness of brachytherapy In 2004, 15-year data was presented which demonstrated that Brachytherapy is effective for treating prostate cancer. This data was reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2004 Annual Meeting by John E. Sylvester, MD during the Genitourinary (Prostate) Cancer (Poster Discussion). Additionally, published 12-year data showed that disease-free survival rates were between 81% and 93%.* Further advances in brachytherapy, such as the introduction of stranded seeds, allow for increased precision in the placement of seeds. Stranded brachytherapy products enable the seeds to more securely remain where they are placed and effectively deliver radiation as planned by the physician. *12-Year Outcomes Following Permanent Prostate Brachytherapy in Patients with Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer. Louis Potters, et al. The Journal of Urology Vol 173 (2005) 1562-1566

Risks of brachytherapy
The chances of developing impotence or incontinence with the brachytherapy procedure are less when compared to other treatments. Impotence has been reported by various groups of patients, although most patients receiving brachytherapy have often reported similar levels of potency before their treatment. The risk of impotence does increase with age; impotence after brachytherapy can often be treated with prescription drugs such as ViagraT, CialisT or LevitraT.

Recovery time after brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a same-day discharge procedure, usually lasting around an hour. Recovery usually takes only a day or two, and most men return to work or their normal activities within a few days. Physicians recommend waiting about two weeks until resuming sexual activity.

Side effects of brachytherapy
Brachytherapy may have some minimal side effects, such as a burning sensation during urination or ejaculation and increase in urinary frequency. These symptoms are usually treated supportively and go away rather quickly. In few patients, temporary difficulties with urination may be experienced for a few weeks to a few months after the implant.

Find the best treatment for you
Deciding the best treatment for prostate cancer is a challenge. No single treatment or combination of treatments is right for everyone.

If you have prostate cancer, act now. Contact a physician who specializes in treating prostate cancer. Click here to find a nearby prostate cancer physician with experience in the latest medical advances.

Click here for more information about other prostate cancer treatments including minimally invasive procedures such as cryotherapy.