Instead of permanent seeds, high dose rate brachytherapy is a temporary implant designed to give focused, pulsed doses safely. A high activity seed is temporarily inserted into an empty catheter or tube to deliver radiation therapy safely to a certain part of the body, sparing more normal tissue than external beam radiation therapy but without leaving any radioactivity in your body once the procedure is completed. This has been particularly helpful in treating certain diseases such as uterine and cervical cancers and has also allowed women needing an implant to have it done as an outpatient rather than be admitted to the hospital.
A more recent application of HDR brachytherapy is in the treatment of breast cancer. For selected women, accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) may be an option that will reduce the time required to complete radiation treatment. Using a balloon catheter system called MammoSite, we can now complete treatment in 10 treatments over five days.
Currently, Radiation Oncology Associates performs prostate seed implants at the following locations: |
