What is brachytherapy for prostate cancer?
Brachytherapy is a unique type of radiation treatment. It involves taking particles that serve as a source of radiation and putting them in or close to the cancer site. The radioactive waves released by the particles only affect tissues close to the tumor. It kills only the tumor, and not other parts of the body.
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) approved brachytherapy as a stand-alone treatment method for people who have a low or very low risk of prostate cancer. Doctors may combine brachytherapy with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) to treat people with high-risk cases of prostate cancer.