Brachytherapy involves treating the cancer by inserting radioactive sources directly into the prostate.
For the short time that the seeds are giving off larger amounts of radiation, men should avoid being in close proximity to children or pregnant women. Ask your radiation oncologist or oncology nurse for instructions about radiation safety and exposure for family members or pets.
Once the treatment is complete, the tubes are taken out. HDR brachytherapy is temporary and there is no radioactivity left in your body. You will not need to take special precautions around others after treatment. Often multiple treatments are planned to give an effective dose to treat the cancer.
Brachytherapy may be used to treat prostate cancer alone or may be combined with external beam radiation therapy and hormonal therapy. Ask your doctor whether LDR or HDR is a reasonable treatment option for you.
The information on this site was created by our medical advisory board made up of physicians and other members of the radiation oncology team with expertise in radiation therapy and on the topics presented. However, this material is informational only and should not be used in place of advice from a medical professional. If you have questions about a specific treatment, please ask your radiation oncologist.