Low Dose Rate Brachytherapy
The doctors in Radiation Oncology Consultants have extensive experience in permanent prostate seed implants. This is a one-hour outpatient procedure that delivers the radiation directly to prostate cancer by inserting tiny radioactive seeds. These seeds act like batteries releasing their energy over time to kill the cancer.
Advantages of seed implants include the convenience of a one-day outpatient procedure, the ability to conform or confine the radiation dose to the prostate plus margin, excellent long-term cure rates and a low risk of side effects. Most common side effects include temporary discomfort between the legs where the seeds are inserted, changes in urination including frequency and urgency (a small percentage of men may require a temporary urinary catheter after treatment) and possible effect on the ability to have erections.
Most men are back to work and their normal activities one or two days after the procedure. The best candidates for seed implants are those whose cancers have been caught early and likely to be confined to the prostate. A man also needs to be healthy enough to undergo a short general or spinal anesthesia. The prostate cannot be too large for a good, safe implant and this is determined by an ultrasound test called a volume study. Pictures of the prostate from this study are also used to create a 3D customized radiation treatment plan.
Some patients with more advanced cancers may have external beam radiation and hormone therapy in addition to a seed implant. Your doctors can determine what types of treatment are most appropriate for you. They follow patients closely to make sure they are recovering and monitor their cancer with frequent PSA blood tests.
