Brachytherapy is, in short, the use of radiation therapy delivered at a very short distance so as to be localised and highly precise.
Brachytherapy: How It Works
In brachytherapy, very thin catheters are inserted into a patient's tumor, which are connected to a high-dose rate brachytherapy afterloader. The afterloader is a machine that holds one highly radioactive iridium pellet. When turned on, that pellet is guided into each of the catheters inserted in the tumor using a computer.
Dwell Time
The term 'dwell time' in brachytherapy refers to the length of time the iridium pellet remains in the catheter.
Dwell Position
The term 'dwell position' in brachytherapy refers to the position along the catheter that the iridium pellet is designed to pause in order to release its therapeutic radiation.
By placing the catheters into the tumor and then activating the afterloader, brachytherapy doesn't take more than a few minutes to administer, and the patient is not considered to be radioactive following treatment. Typically, a series of treatments are required to achieve the full effect in brachytherapy.
Brachytherapy: What It Works Against
Since brachytherapy functions by inserting catheters into a tumor, a solid tumor is required for treatment, which rules out all leukemia and most if not all lymphomas. However, the therapy can be used against prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancers, all sarcomas, head and neck cancers, and gynecologic cancers, to name a few.
Not all treatment centers offer brachytherapy. Patients are urged to discuss whether or not this treatment option is suitable for them by discussing it with their health care team.
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