Brachytherapy places small, radioactive sources within or next to cancerous tissue. This high dose radiation therapy is used to enhance standard radiation treatments of cancerous tumors. The concentrated dose attacks the tumor, while limiting exposure to healthy tissue.
The VariSeed HDR (High Dose Rate) unit is used at St. Rita's Regional Cancer Center. A radioactive source is attached to a thin wire and inserted into a special tube called a catheter. Through the catheter, the source is placed at the cancerous site where it remains for several minutes. Patients normally receive this treatment over a two to three week period. High dose rate and is most often used to treat lung, breast, gynecologic, head, neck and prostate cancers.
Prostate seed implants, used in treating prostate cancer, are a brachytherapy treatment available at St. Rita's Regional Cancer Center. The seeds are about the size of a grain of rice and are permanently implanted directly into the prostate gland. The seeds eliminate cancer cells and the radioactivity diminishes over time.
