What is Brachytherapy?
Brachytherapy, also known as internal radiation therapy, is a type of radiation treatment where a radioactive material is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. Brachytherapy allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation to a more localized area of the body compared to external beam radiation therapy. The procedure involves surgically implanting seeds or catheters containing radioactive material directly into the tumor or tissue adjacent to it. The radiation travels a very short distance, sparing surrounding healthy tissue from radiation exposure.

Types of Brachytherapy
There are two main types of brachytherapy:

Low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy: In LDR brachytherapy, small radioactive seeds are placed directly into or near the cancer site. These seeds emit low doses of radiation continuously over days or weeks until the radioactivity naturally declines. LDR Brachytherapy is commonly used to treat prostate, gynecological, breast, and skin cancers.

High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy: With HDR brachytherapy, hollow catheters are placed into the treatment area and a radioactive source is passed through the catheters to deliver higher doses of radiation to the tumor over minutes. The radiation source is then removed and the procedure is typically repeated several times on an outpatient basis. HDR brachytherapy is often used for cervical, prostate, breast, esophageal, and oral cavity cancers.

Advantages of Brachytherapy
The main advantages of brachytherapy compared to other radiation treatment options include:

- Higher Radiation Dose Delivered to Tumor: By placing radioactive sources directly inside or next to the tumor, brachytherapy allows delivery of a very high dose of radiation precisely to the cancer while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. This offers excellent tumor control.

- Outpatient Procedure: Many brachytherapy treatments such as for prostate cancer can be delivered in an outpatient setting without requiring hospital admission. This makes treatment more convenient for patients.

- Fewer Side Effects: The ability to focus radiation directly on the cancer site means surrounding organs and tissues receive less exposure. Thus, brachytherapy often causes fewer short-term and long-term side effects compared to whole organ external beam radiation.

- Potential Cure: For some early stage cancers like cervical and prostate cancer, brachytherapy alone can cure the disease and may avoid or delay the need for surgery in many cases.

Implants were placed under ultrasound guidance. A post-implant CT scan confirmed correct placement of the seeds. The patient received LDR brachytherapy as an outpatient over a period of two weeks. He reported minimal side effects and a subsequent biopsy showed no remaining prostate cancer cells. This man’s story demonstrates how brachytherapy can be an effective primary treatment option for localized prostate cancer.

Indications and Candidates for Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat localized, early stage cancers of the prostate, gynecological organs, breast, skin, head and neck regions. The best candidates for brachytherapy meet specific criteria:

- Localized Disease: The cancer is confined to the primary site and has not spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. Brachytherapy is not effective for treating metastatic cancers.

- Tumor Size/Location: The tumor must be of appropriate size and in an anatomic location that can be adequately covered by the implanted radioactive sources.

- Previous Treatment History: Patients should not have received prior radiation treatment to the same area or surgery/chemotherapy that could alter the tumor bed or surrounding tissues.

- Patient Performance Status: Good performance status is required as brachytherapy often involves an outpatient procedure and recovery period without overnight hospital admission.

Precautions are taken in patients with significant medical co-morbidities like bleeding disorders or poor wound healing that could be exacerbated by the implanted sources/catheters. Careful patient selection helps maximize brachytherapy’s therapeutic benefits while minimizing potential risks and side effects.

Procedure and Side Effects of Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is typically performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia or conscious sedation. It involves placement of radioactive sources temporarily inside or next to the tumor using needles, catheters or other applicators.

For prostate brachytherapy, transrectal ultrasound is used to guide thin hollow needles through the perineum into the prostate gland. Seeds containing radioactive Iodine-125 or Palladium-103 are precisely deposited through the needles directly into the prostate tissue. The needles are then quickly removed.

Other common sites for brachytherapy include gynecological, breast, head and neck and skin cancers. Procedures may involve placing temporary catheters into the treatment site to deliver radiation over several brief sessions as in HDR brachytherapy.

Side effects depend on treatment area but can include urinary symptoms, fatigue, nausea, temporary skin irritation in treated areas and sexual dysfunction. Most side effects subside within a few weeks or months after treatment. On rare occasions more severe complications like excessive bleeding may occur. Close medical follow-up monitors for and manages any side effects.

Outcomes and Long-Term Results
When used as the sole/primary treatment modality, brachytherapy offers excellent cure rates for early stage prostate, breast, gynecological and other localized cancers. 5-year survival rates often surpass 85-90% for low risk tumors.

Long-term results demonstrate brachytherapy preserves organ function and spares adjacent tissues. For example, prostate brachytherapy leaves patients POTENT (Prostate Organ and Tissue preservation by External beam and Neoprostate tumor targeting) allowing 95% to retain urinary and bowel control and over 70% to retain erectile function post treatment.

With accurate applicator placement and optimized dosimetry planning to conform high radiation doses around the tumor shape, brachytherapy offers outstanding long-term local control rates rivaling surgery in some early cancers.

Get this Report in Japanese Language-  ブラキセラピー

Get this Report in Korean Language-  근접치료
 

About Author-

Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. With an MBA in E-commerce, she has an expertise in SEO-optimized content that resonates with industry professionals. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravina-pandya-1a3984191)

What is Brachytherapy?
Brachytherapy, also known as internal radiation therapy, is a type of radiation treatment where a radioactive material is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. Brachytherapy allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation to a more localized area of the body compared to external beam radiation therapy. The procedure involves surgically implanting seeds or catheters containing radioactive material directly into the tumor or tissue adjacent to it. The radiation travels a very short distance, sparing surrounding healthy tissue from radiation exposure.

Types of Brachytherapy
There are two main types of brachytherapy:

Low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy: In LDR brachytherapy, small radioactive seeds are placed directly into or near the cancer site. These seeds emit low doses of radiation continuously over days or weeks until the radioactivity naturally declines. LDR Brachytherapy is commonly used to treat prostate, gynecological, breast, and skin cancers.

High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy: With HDR brachytherapy, hollow catheters are placed into the treatment area and a radioactive source is passed through the catheters to deliver higher doses of radiation to the tumor over minutes. The radiation source is then removed and the procedure is typically repeated several times on an outpatient basis. HDR brachytherapy is often used for cervical, prostate, breast, esophageal, and oral cavity cancers.

Advantages of Brachytherapy
The main advantages of brachytherapy compared to other radiation treatment options include:

- Higher Radiation Dose Delivered to Tumor: By placing radioactive sources directly inside or next to the tumor, brachytherapy allows delivery of a very high dose of radiation precisely to the cancer while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. This offers excellent tumor control.

- Outpatient Procedure: Many brachytherapy treatments such as for prostate cancer can be delivered in an outpatient setting without requiring hospital admission. This makes treatment more convenient for patients.

- Fewer Side Effects: The ability to focus radiation directly on the cancer site means surrounding organs and tissues receive less exposure. Thus, brachytherapy often causes fewer short-term and long-term side effects compared to whole organ external beam radiation.

- Potential Cure: For some early stage cancers like cervical and prostate cancer, brachytherapy alone can cure the disease and may avoid or delay the need for surgery in many cases.

Implants were placed under ultrasound guidance. A post-implant CT scan confirmed correct placement of the seeds. The patient received LDR brachytherapy as an outpatient over a period of two weeks. He reported minimal side effects and a subsequent biopsy showed no remaining prostate cancer cells. This man’s story demonstrates how brachytherapy can be an effective primary treatment option for localized prostate cancer.

Indications and Candidates for Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is most commonly used to treat localized, early stage cancers of the prostate, gynecological organs, breast, skin, head and neck regions. The best candidates for brachytherapy meet specific criteria:

- Localized Disease: The cancer is confined to the primary site and has not spread to nearby organs or lymph nodes. Brachytherapy is not effective for treating metastatic cancers.

- Tumor Size/Location: The tumor must be of appropriate size and in an anatomic location that can be adequately covered by the implanted radioactive sources.

- Previous Treatment History: Patients should not have received prior radiation treatment to the same area or surgery/chemotherapy that could alter the tumor bed or surrounding tissues.

- Patient Performance Status: Good performance status is required as brachytherapy often involves an outpatient procedure and recovery period without overnight hospital admission.

Precautions are taken in patients with significant medical co-morbidities like bleeding disorders or poor wound healing that could be exacerbated by the implanted sources/catheters. Careful patient selection helps maximize brachytherapy’s therapeutic benefits while minimizing potential risks and side effects.

Procedure and Side Effects of Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is typically performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia or conscious sedation. It involves placement of radioactive sources temporarily inside or next to the tumor using needles, catheters or other applicators.

For prostate brachytherapy, transrectal ultrasound is used to guide thin hollow needles through the perineum into the prostate gland. Seeds containing radioactive Iodine-125 or Palladium-103 are precisely deposited through the needles directly into the prostate tissue. The needles are then quickly removed.

Other common sites for brachytherapy include gynecological, breast, head and neck and skin cancers. Procedures may involve placing temporary catheters into the treatment site to deliver radiation over several brief sessions as in HDR brachytherapy.

Side effects depend on treatment area but can include urinary symptoms, fatigue, nausea, temporary skin irritation in treated areas and sexual dysfunction. Most side effects subside within a few weeks or months after treatment. On rare occasions more severe complications like excessive bleeding may occur. Close medical follow-up monitors for and manages any side effects.

Outcomes and Long-Term Results
When used as the sole/primary treatment modality, brachytherapy offers excellent cure rates for early stage prostate, breast, gynecological and other localized cancers. 5-year survival rates often surpass 85-90% for low risk tumors.

Long-term results demonstrate brachytherapy preserves organ function and spares adjacent tissues. For example, prostate brachytherapy leaves patients POTENT (Prostate Organ and Tissue preservation by External beam and Neoprostate tumor targeting) allowing 95% to retain urinary and bowel control and over 70% to retain erectile function post treatment.

With accurate applicator placement and optimized dosimetry planning to conform high radiation doses around the tumor shape, brachytherapy offers outstanding long-term local control rates rivaling surgery in some early cancers.

Get this Report in Japanese Language-  ブラキセラピー

Get this Report in Korean Language-  근접치료
 

About Author-

Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. With an MBA in E-commerce, she has an expertise in SEO-optimized content that resonates with industry professionals. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravina-pandya-1a3984191)