Brachytherapy – medical imaging Theraphy center

What is brachytherapy?

Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy in which a source of radioactive radiation is placed directly into or near the cancerous tissue. This method allows a high dose of radiation to reach the tumor directly while causing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

1. Types of brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is divided into different types based on the intensity of the radiation and how the radioactive source is placed in the body:

1. High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy

• In this method, a high-dose radioactive source is placed inside or next to the tumor for a short time.

• Treatment is done in a few short sessions.

• Suitable for breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and some other cancers.

✅ Advantage: Shorter treatment time, possibility of outpatient treatment, high accuracy in beam delivery.

1.2. Low Dose Rate (LDR) Brachytherapy

• A low-dose radioactive source is placed inside the body for a few hours to a few days.

• Usually performed in a hospital and requires hospitalization.

• Suitable for prostate, cervical and some other cancers.

✅ Advantage: Lower but continuous dose, high effectiveness in some cancers.

1.3. Permanent Brachytherapy (Permanent Brachytherapy – Seed Implantation)

• In this method, radioactive seeds are implanted directly into the cancerous tissue and remain there.

• The rays are released over time and become inactive after a few months.

• Commonly used for prostate cancer.

✅ Advantage: No need for repeated sessions, the radiation is released gradually in the body.

1.4. Intracavitary Brachytherapy

• The radioactive source is placed inside natural body cavities such as the vagina, uterus, or esophagus.

• Suitable for gynecological cancers (cervix, uterus) and gastrointestinal cancers.

1.5. Interstitial Brachytherapy

• The radioactive source is placed directly into the tumor tissue.

• Suitable for breast cancer, prostate cancer, sarcomas and some others.

2. What cancers is brachytherapy used for?

Brachytherapy is used to treat various cancers, including:

✅ (Cervical Cancer) – One of the most common uses.

✅ Prostate Cancer – especially permanent brachytherapy (Seed Implantation).

✅ (Breast Cancer) – As adjuvant treatment after surgery.

✅ (Endometrial Cancer) – especially in combination with external beam radiation therapy.

✅ (Esophageal & Gastric Cancer) – In some specific cases.

✅ (Head & Neck Cancer) – such as cancer of the tongue or throat.

✅ (Skin Cancer) – for superficial tumors.

3. Duration and number of brachytherapy sessions

The number of brachytherapy sessions varies depending on the type of cancer and treatment protocol:

Type of brachytherapy	Number of sessions	Session duration	Need for hospitalization
High dose - HDR	3 - 5 sessions	10 - 20 minutes	Outpatient❌
Low Dose - LDR	1 session	24 - 72 hours	Hospitalization✅
Permanent brachytherapy	1 session	The seeds remain in the body.	Outpatient❌

✅ HDR treatment usually takes 3 to 5 sessions, each session lasting from a few minutes to an hour.

✅ Treatment with LDR usually involves 1 session, but the patient must be hospitalized for 24 to 72 hours.

4. Is brachytherapy the best option?

✔ Benefits of brachytherapy:

• High precision: The radiation is delivered directly to the tumor, causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

• Shorter treatment time: Compared to external beam radiation therapy, the number of sessions is fewer.

• Fewer side effects: Compared to traditional radiation therapy methods.

❌ Limitations of brachytherapy:

• Not suitable for all cancers.

• Requires high skill and specialized equipment.

• Some people (such as patients with certain underlying diseases) may not be able to undergo this procedure.

📌Brachytherapy is the best option for some cancers (such as cervical and prostate), but in others it may be combined with surgery or external beam radiation therapy.

5. Side effects of brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, like any other treatment method, can have side effects that vary depending on the treatment site:

✅ Short-term complications:

• Skin or mucosal irritation (e.g., in cervical or esophageal cancer).

• Temporary pain at the site of implantation of the radioactive source.

• Fatigue and feeling weak.

✅ Long-term complications:

• Changes in the function of organs around the tumor.

• Possibility of scarring or inflammation in surrounding tissues.

• Decreased sexual function in some patients (e.g., in prostate cancer).

📌 Most side effects are mild and improve after treatment ends.

summary

✔ Brachytherapy is an effective method of internal radiation therapy used to treat a variety of cancers, especially cervical, prostate, breast, and head and neck cancers.

✔ This method allows a high dose of radiation to reach the tumor directly, reducing damage to healthy tissues.

✔ The number of treatment sessions varies depending on the type of brachytherapy and the type of cancer (from 1 to 5 sessions).

✔ Brachytherapy is the best treatment option in some cases, but sometimes it is not enough alone and must be combined with surgery or external beam radiation therapy.