At IMOR, the Medical Institute of Onco-Radiotherapy, cancer patients, including those with prostate cancer, can undergo brachytherapy treatment.
Our center, awarded by the Brachytherapy Society, is an expert in treating all types of cancer and employs cutting-edge methods such as brachytherapy in Barcelona.
Below, we outline some details about this method and its technology.
What is brachytherapy?
Internal radiation therapy, which involves placing radiation inside the body, is called brachytherapy and is a fairly common treatment for cancer. During the treatment, a specialist inserts a small, solid implant into or near the cancerous area.
Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy where capsules or “seeds” containing a radiation source are placed in or near the tumor. It is a localized treatment that targets only a specific area of the body, making it suitable for areas such as the head, neck, uterus, prostate, eyes, or breasts.
Technology in brachytherapy
Medicine is constantly evolving, so technology and research are frequently improved to reduce cancer or achieve a complete cure for our patients. At our facility, we have a brachytherapy system, both low-dose and high-dose, to deliver radiation therapy to cancer patients.
Low-dose (LDR) implants remain in the body, in a specific area, for a few hours or days. In contrast, high-dose (HRD) implants are applied to the body for a few minutes during each treatment session.
Currently, there are approximately 20 active protocols used for different types of tumors, such as prostate, gynecological, breast, and soft tissue sarcomas.
Treatment duration
The duration of this treatment will depend on:
- The type of tumor to be treated, its size, and its stage (extent).
- Dose to be administered (total or supplemental).
- Radiation source, which can be high-rate (Iridium-192) for 10 to 30 minutes or, conversely, low-rate (radioactive iodine I-125), which lasts from a few hours to several days.
At IMOR, our expert specialists in radiation oncology will always recommend the best brachytherapy treatment according to the patient’s circumstances.