What is brachytherapy
The name brachytherapy is derived from the Greek word “Brachos” which means near. In effect Brachytherapy treats a tumour from the inside out, not the outside in.
Brachytherapy dates back to 1901 when Pierre Curie (France) first suggested that a radioactive source could be inserted into a tumour. Also in 1901 Alexander Graham Bell (USA) suggested a similar approach. As a result techniques were pioneered at both the Curie Institute in Paris and St Luke’s and Memorial Hospitals in New York.
At Lincoln we have been doing gynaecological brachytherapy for over 25 years. In 2001 we moved to Lincoln County Hospital and started treating other sites listed below.
Low Dose Rate (LDR) : Prostate
Permanent seed brachytherapy, also known as low dose-rate brachytherapy, involves having tiny radioactive seeds implanted in your prostate gland. Radiation from the seeds destroys cancer cells in the prostate.
High Dose Rate (HDR): prostate, gynaecological (endometrium, cervix and vagina), skin and oesophagus
Temporary brachytherapy, also known as high dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, involves inserting or placing a source of high dose-rate radiation into or on the area to be treated for a few minutes at a time to destroy cancer cells
Some of these procedures require a local or general anaesthetic and an overnight stay in hospital but this will be discussed with you by the brachytherapy team before your appointment.
We have a highly experienced team who work and specialise in brachytherapy.