Low-Dose Rate Brachytherapy
One of the Fastest Growing Treatments
Low-Dose Rate Brachytherapy (LDR), also known as seeding, is the fastest growing method of treating prostate cancer in the United States, and recent reports suggest that the procedure is as effective as surgery or external radiation for low-risk patients.
A form of internal radiation, LDR Brachytherapy permanently places small radioactive seeds into the prostate to kill cancerous cells. Since each individual seed emits a very low level of radiation that can only penetrate a few millimeters of tissue within the prostate, this targeted therapy is a viable option to traditional external radiation that can damage nearby tissues and organs, such as the bladder, urethra, pelvis and rectum.
At Goshen Center for Cancer Care, LDR Brachytherapy can be recommended for very early prostate tumors. Plus, we’re one of the few facilities in the country to offer LDR Brachytherapy for the treatment of localized recurrent prostate cancer through the development of our own innovative protocols and clinical trials. Following a thorough evaluation, we’ll determine if LDR Brachytherapy is right for you based on the size of your prostate, tumor stage, PSA levels and whether your tumor is considered “well-behaved” (low risk) or aggressive (high risk).
Benefits
• Provides fewer side effects than traditional therapies by placing radiation directly into the prostate, sparing healthy organs and tissue
• Greatly reduced risk of impotence, and virtually no risk of incontinence
• Requires minimal recovery time, as patients go home within hours after treatment with few restrictions
• Minimally invasive, painless out-patient procedure conveniently completed in one day
How It Works
During LDR Brachytherapy, approximately 100 tiny seeds of radioactive material the size of a grain of rice are placed in the prostate using a needle guided by ultrasound imaging. The implants stay in place permanently and become inactive after about 10 months, allowing for the most effective use of radiation with the least amount of damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Prior to the procedure, the patient is given general anesthesia. Plus, all patients undergo evaluation by CT scanning to ensure that the pelvic bones don’t interfere with proper placement of needles into the prostate. A minimally-invasive procedure requiring no open surgery, LDR Brachytherapy takes only a few hours to perform, with most patients returning to normal activities within two to three days.
Low- Versus High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy
HDR Brachytherapy is different, in that it involves placing very tiny plastic catheters into the prostate gland, and then giving three radiation treatments through these instruments over a 23-hour period. No "seeds" remain in the prostate following treatment. With this temporary brachytherapy, a computer-controlled machine pushes a single highly radioactive iridium seed through each catheter one by one. After a short time, each pellet is removed. Because the computer can control how long this single seed remains in each of the catheters, physicians are able to control the radiation dose in different regions of the prostate, making it a more suitable option for late-stage prostate cancers.