Brachytherapy
Also known as: internal radiation, sealed-source radiotherapy
A form of radiation therapy that places a radioactive source directly inside or next to the tumour.
Definition
Brachytherapy (from the Greek brachys, meaning "short distance") delivers radiation from a small radioactive source placed directly inside or right next to the tumour. Because the source sits so close to the cancer, a very high dose can be given to the tumour while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
It is most commonly used for cancers of the cervix, prostate, uterus, skin and head & neck region. Brachytherapy may be the sole treatment or be combined with external-beam radiation and chemotherapy.
See also
- Radiation Therapy — Treatment that uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells in a targeted area.
- Chemoradiation — Chemotherapy and radiation given together to make each treatment more effective.
- Staging — The process of finding out how large a cancer is and whether it has spread.
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Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rehan Abdullah
Dr. Rehan Abdullah is a dual-trained clinical and radiation oncologist with over a decade of experience treating both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies. He serves as Consultant Oncologist at INMOL Hospital and sees patients at Farooq Hospital and Healthnox Medical Center, Lahore. Read full profile →
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