Prostate cancer treatment with brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a unique local and precise type of radiotherapy that helps control and stop the malignant process. With high-dose brachytherapy, cobalt or iridium radioisotopes are injected into the prostate tumor. Low-dose treatment is affected by the radiation of iodine or palladium isotopes. Ionizing radiation of radioactive grains destroys the DNA of cancer cells, disrupting their ability to divide. As a result, the tumor gradually decreases and then collapses. At the preparatory stage, transrectal ultrasound determines the gland volume and the number and location of radioactive implants. The number of implants is determined individually based on diagnostic results. Approximately their number varies from 40 to 100. After a few months, the power of the radiation decreases, and soon they are completely deactivated. The implants are inserted under spinal anesthesia. Depending on the complexity, brachytherapy takes from 30 minutes to 2. 5 hours. The patient is placed on his back, with legs apart and bent at the knees, which are necessarily fixed. An ultrasound sensor is inserted transrectally to monitor the placement of implants visually. With the help of a hollow needle, radioactive microparticles are delivered to the tumor through the perineum.