Brachytherapy Abroad - Medical Tourism

Brachytherapy is a type of radiation used in the treatment of tumors. Brachytherapy is used in the treatment of prostate cancer and is also known as seed implantation or interstitial radiation therapy. Brachytherapy treatment for prostate cancer involves implanting radioactive seeds in the prostate gland. The seeds used are typically in the form of titanium-encased pellets that contain a radioisotope called iodine-125.

Procedure information

Depending on the size of the tumor, the location of the implant site, and the number of implants required, general anesthesia may be necessary. Usually, a patient undergoing brachytherapy is treated as an inpatient, largely to protect others from potentially harmful effects of the radiation while it is still active in the patient’s body.

Individual facilities may have their own protocols in place for brachytherapy treatment, but typically, treatment protocols include ensuring that the brachytherapy patient has a private room, limiting the amount of time that hospital staff spend in the patient's room without comprising the level of care and placing radiation shields between anyone entering the room and the patient.

Recovery time

When the brachytherapy implant is of a low dosage, it may be left in the implant site for a number of days. Implants of a higher dosage are often removed after a few minutes of treatment. Temporary implants are left in until the complete dosage of radiation has been administered.

Under some circumstances, implants are left in the patient’s body permanently. When the implant is a permanent one, the patient will normally need to remain in the hospital for a few days; the actual time will depend on the radiation dosage and the implant’s location. As the radiation level becomes weaker, the patient will be discharged, and may be instructed in safety measures to be followed at home – which will be provided by the specialist if required.