What To Know About Brachytherapy (A Type of Internal Radiation Therapy)
Narrator:
What to know about brachytherapy, a type of internal radiation therapy.
Let’s listen in as Ravi and Sona talk with Ravi’s oncologist, Dr. Williams, about brachytherapy.
Ravi:
Dr. Williams, my wife, Sona, and I made a list of questions that we hope to talk with you about today. We’d like to know more about brachytherapy as a treatment option for me.
Dr. Williams:
Of course. Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation that uses radiation to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumors. The radiation often comes in the form of seeds, ribbons, or wires. These are put into your body, in or near the cancer.
Ravi:
How do you get it in me?
Dr. Williams:
A small holder, usually a thin tube called a catheter, is placed into your body. Then the seeds, ribbons, or wires are put inside this small holder so that the radiation can reach and destroy cancer cells.
Sona:
Dr. Williams, Ravi and I have heard that there are 3 types of brachytherapy. Would you tell us more about each of them?
Dr. Williams:
Sure, there are 3 types of brachytherapy: low-dose rate implants, high-dose rate implants, and permanent implants.
Low-dose rate implants, often called LDR for short, are implants that stay in for 7 days or less before they are taken out. You are likely to stay in a special room in the hospital if you receive this type of implant.
High-dose rate implants, or HDR implants, stay in for place for a few minutes at a time and are then taken out. You’ll probably make daily trips to the hospital for your treatment, or you may stay in the hospital.
I know we’re covering a lot of information. Do you have any questions so far?
Ravi:
No, I’m following you.
Dr. Williams:
Okay. Then there’s a third type called permanent implants. These implants are put in your body and stay there. Over time, the radiation dose gets weaker.
Sona:
How do you know which implant is right for Ravi?
Dr. Williams:
We choose a treatment based on the type of cancer and where it’s located, the person’s health, and any treatments they’ve had before. Depending upon the type of treatment selected, we’ll also go over special instructions for Ravi to follow.
Ravi:
Will I have side effects?
Dr. Williams:
You probably will have some side effects. The side effects you may have depend on the part of your body being treated.
Side effects happen because radiation can injure healthy cells that are near the cancer cells it’s destroying. We’ll talk in a lot more detail during your next visit about specific side effects and how to manage them.
Ravi:
Thanks. This was helpful.
Dr. Williams:
I’m glad to hear that. I want to make sure I clearly explained brachytherapy. Ravi, can you tell me a little bit about what I went over?
Ravi:
Sure. You said that this treatment uses radiation to destroy the cancer cells or shrink the tumor. The radiation is put into the body.
You talked about 3 types of brachytherapy – low-dose rate implants, high-dose rate implants, and permanent implants – and said that these implants can stay in a few minutes, a few days, or the rest of my life.
Hmm, Sona, did I forget anything?
Sona:
There was the part where Dr. Williams explained that the radiation is often placed in the body using a small, thin tube. The radiation looks like seeds, ribbons, or wires and is put into the thin tube so it can reach and destroy cancer cells.
Dr. Williams:
Exactly. Oh, and before I forget, here’s a fact sheet that covers some of what we talked about today. Now before we talk about your treatment plan, do you have any other questions?
Ravi:
Not right now, I think we’re set on the basics. I am eager to hear about which treatment you recommend for me, though.
Dr. Williams:
Of course, let’s get started.