HDR Brachytherapy is a powerful form of internally delivered radiation therapy that destroys many types of cancers including skin, cervical, prostate and breast. HDR Brachytherapy can be used as a standalone treatment or after a tumor has been surgically removed to eliminate any remaining cancerous cells.
With HDR Brachytherapy, between one and 20 slim plastic tubes called catheters are implanted into the tumor site. During treatment, a computer-controlled machine sends the small radioactive seeds down each catheter to deliver radiation at multiple depths and varying times. The overall treatment time at the tumor site is 10 to 20 minutes. The seeds are then removed so that no radioactive material remains in the patient’s body. Depending on the type of cancer being treated, a high-dose rate treatment plan may require one session or multiple sessions over a course of up to five days.
In Interstitial HDR Brachytherapy, often used for prostate cancer, the radiation is delivered directly into tissue. In Intracavitary HDR Brachytherapy, often used for breast, cervical and vaginal cancers, the radiation is delivered to the tumor from the cavity left by the recently removed tumor. In Episcleral Brachytherapy, the radiation source is attached to the eye to treat melanoma inside the eye.
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