What is prostate brachytherapy?

An excellent option for patients with low-risk prostate cancer is prostate brachytherapy ("brachy" is Greek for "short," meaning that radiation is delivered over a short distance). This type of internal radiation therapy (RT) involves the placement of multiple radioactive seeds into the prostate gland with the goal of eradicating cancer. There are two main forms of brachytherapy: high dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR). HDR brachytherapy involves temporary placement of radioactive sources that deliver high radiation dose over a short time into the prostate, generally in two to four different doses or fractions delivered in the radiation oncology clinic. LDR brachytherapy for prostate cancer is much more commonly performed throughout the United States than HDR treatment. LDR prostate brachytherapy involves permanent placement of radiation seeds that deliver a continuous low dose of radiation to the prostate.

Rather than delivering radiation from an external source, brachytherapy for prostate cancer delivers radiation from a source placed inside the body. As a result, it's sometimes called internal radiation therapy or interstitial radiation therapy. The most common form of brachytherapy is permanent brachytherapy, or seed implantation. This involves placing 60 to 100 radioactive seeds or pellets (depending on the size of the prostate gland) in or near the prostate tumor.