Prostate brachytherapy
About this test
Prostate brachytherapy (brak-e-THER-uh-pee) is a form of radiation therapy used to treat prostate cancer. Prostate brachytherapy involves placing radioactive sources in the prostate gland, where the radiation can kill the cancer cells while causing less damage to healthy tissue nearby.
Why it's done
Prostate brachytherapy is used to treat prostate cancer. The procedure places radioactive sources within the prostate, so the cancer receives most of the radiation and nearby healthy tissue receives a minimal dose of radiation. If you have early-stage prostate cancer that's less likely to spread beyond the prostate, brachytherapy may be the only treatment used. For larger prostate cancers or those that have a greater chance of spreading beyond the prostate, brachytherapy may be used along with other treatments, such as external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or hormone therapy. Prostate brachytherapy generally isn't used for advanced prostate cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes or to distant areas of the body.
How to prepare
To prepare for prostate brachytherapy, you will: Meet with a doctor who treats cancer with radiation (radiation oncologist). The radiation oncologist will explain the available procedures and the possible risks and benefits of each. Together you can decide whether prostate brachytherapy is the best treatment for you. Have tests to prepare for anesthesia. To help your doctors prepare for your treatment, you may have blood tests and heart tests to make sure your body is healthy enough for the medicine that puts you in a sleep-like state during the procedure. Undergo scans to plan for treatment. Imaging scans of your prostate, such as ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), help your radiation oncologist and other members of the treatment planning team decide the dose and positioning of the radiation. These tests can be done before your procedure or at the beginning of your procedure.
What to expect
What you can expect during prostate brachytherapy depends on the type of brachytherapy treatment you'll receive.
Understanding your results
After prostate brachytherapy, you may undergo follow-up blood tests to measure the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. These tests may give your doctor an idea of whether treatment has been successful. It's not unusual for your PSA level to rise suddenly after prostate brachytherapy and then decline again ( PSA bounce). Your doctor will likely continue monitoring your PSA level to make sure it doesn't continue to rise. Ask your doctor when you can expect to know whether your prostate cancer is responding to treatment.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.