Understanding Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is a type of treatment that has been around in excess of a century. Brachy is derived from the word for short. Brachy in the sense of cancer treatments is used to describe the distance between the pellets put in the body and the actual cancer.
As mentioned, Brachytherapy is a treatment for some types of cancer. The most common cancers to be treated this way are prostate, cervical, esophageal, lung, head and neck, sarcomas and breast.
This treatment involves inserting tiny rice sized pellets or seeds close to or on a tumor. Radiation is directed towards these seeds, then over time the seeds release radiation towards the tumor. Surrounding areas generally see no adverse or minimally adverse affects from the radiation.
Brachytherapy is most often administered through a high dose or low dose. Low dose is for cancers in an earlier stage. It’s usually a single dose that emits radiation for approximately one month. High dose Brachytherapy is for more progressive cancers and may mean several treatments are needed.
The seeds or pellets referred to are inserted into the body either through the vagina or rectum or with a hollow needle. The seeds may be left in the body after treatment has ended, or they may be removed.
Depending on the type and progression of the cancer, hundreds of seeds could be placed to fight the cancer. External Beam Radiation may be used alongside Brachytherapy to help increase the odds of getting rid of the cancer.
In some cases, Brachytherapy is used to avoid surgery or removal of the prostate, uterus, breast and more. The good part about this type of treatment is there aren’t major side effects and most patients are given this treatment on an outpatient basis.
Depending on the severity of the cancer, the amount of radiation will be adjusted to properly work with the tumor without adversely affecting surrounding cells. The length of treatment will also be dependent on the type of cancer and the severity of the cancer. As with any treatment, it is important to feel comfortable with your treatment. Contact more than one specialist for an opinion as to the best type of treatment for your cancer. Following doctor’s instructions can help decrease recovery time.
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November 15, 2010
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Posted by Clint Westfall
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