HDR Brachytherapy
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High-Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy is an innovative form of internal radiotherapy (radiation treatments), also called interstitial irradiation. The comprehensive, aggressive approach to treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) frequently uses internal radiotherapy for cancers of the breast, cervix, lung, prostate, rectum, tongue and uterus.
Brachytherapy is a quicker, more effective way to give radiation treatments. Brachytherapy places the radiation inside your tumor, tightly focused within the site of the cancer. This technique ensures the maximum radiation dose is given where you need it most, while allowing little radiation to reach the healthy surrounding tissue. In many cases, brachytherapy is an effective alternative to surgical removal of a tumor and the affected organ.
Some of the potential benefits of HDR brachytherapy include the following:
- For prostate cancer, the entire treatment takes 1 1/2 days instead of 5 to 7 weeks. For breast cancer, the entire treatment takes 5 days instead of 5 to 7 weeks.
- The radiation dose is concentrated within the area of your body where the tumor was previously removed. Less radiation will reach the healthy part of the affected organ, and your body as a whole.
- Side effects may be reduced, because HDR does not cause irritation and burning to your skin that is sometimes associated with external radiation.