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Low dose rate permanent prostate brachytherapy utilizes radioactive iodine seeds implanted into the prostate gland to treat cancer. This procedure is done as an outpatient. Depending upon pathology and stage, external beam radiation is also sometimes incorporated into the treatment. Planning for the brachytherapy involves consultation and an ultrasound “mapping” study to determine the number of seeds needed and to plan the placement of the seeds. The patient then returns (usually in several weeks) and the seeds are placed by the radiation oncologist and the urologist, with the patient under anesthesia.
Immediate side effects are few, discomfort after the procedure is mild, and only occasionally requires medication. Most patients have some increase in urinary frequency and mild discomfort with urination for about 6 months. Medication can be prescribed to relieve these symptoms.
Cancer cure rates with this procedure are excellent and equivalent to surgery for early prostate cancer.
We perform low dose rate prostate implants at our St. Anthony, Ardmore, Ada, and Woodward facilities.
