Littleton Radiation Oncology

Breaking Down Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer PROSTATE CANCER BY THE NUMBERS MA 1 in 7 men will develop prostate cancer 8888888888 6 in 10 cases occur in men age 65+ 2 3 2nd leading cause of cancer death for men Prostate Cancer Treatment 101: Brachytherapy Type of radiation therapy Radioactive “seeds" placed in cancerous tissue 2 types Permanent (low dose): - LDR Temporary (high dose): HDR- Brachytherapy Procedure General anesthesia, local anesthetic, or spinal block given Seeds placed into needles Needles inserted through perineum into prostate Ultrasound probe placed in rectum to guide procedure Seeds placed in cancerous tissue ultrasound used to confirm proper placement Bladder and urethra checked for loose seeds Why Choose Brachytherapy? Cost-effective treatment > Least toxic treatment choice 90-minute procedure Fewer side effects than other treatments Infographic provided by: Littleton Radiation Oncology www.littletonradiationoncology.com LITTLETON RADIATION ONCOLOGY Sources: http://www.littletonradiationoncology.com/treatment-options/brachytherapy.aspx http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/radioactive-seed-implants http://www.cpmc.org/learning/documents/prostateseed-ws.html http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/radioactive_seed_implants/hic_permanent_radio active seed implants.aspx