Brachytherapy is a method of radiotherapy that protects healthy tissues and irradiates only the area of the tumour in the treatment of cancer.
In brachytherapy: The radiation sources are placed very close to the target area, and sometimes directly inside the tumour. Depending on location and features of the cancer, radioactive sources are able to be placed permanently or temporarily. Brachytherapy is used in the treatment of cervical (cervix), prostate, mammary gland, skin, tongue root, mouth, lips, bronchi, upper pharynx, oesophagus, lung cancer and other cancer diseases. There are two methods of applying brachytherapy:
- Brachytherapy, applied to the cavities (Intracavitary). In this method of application, radioactive source is placed in anatomical cavity near the tumour. This method is mainly used in the cancers specific to the women (uterine, cervical, ovarial cancers) and lung cancer.
- Interstitial brachytherapy applied to the tissues: In this method of application, radioactive sources are placed directly inside the tissues. . This method is used in prostate, mammary gland and soft tissue cancers. During interstitial brachytherapy, devices containing radioactive material are placed within body tissue, such as within the breast or prostate.
A treatment usually lasts 5-20 minutes, and after the procedure, the patient continues his/ her normal social life.