Prostate Brachytherapy: Understanding Seed Placement for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer can threaten a patient's life. A variety of treatments are available to treat it, including surgical removal or radiation therapy that relies on the careful placement of radioactive seeds.

Prostate Cancer

• Prostate cancer occurs when malignant cells grow on a man's prostate. They can separate from the prostate and spread throughout his body, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Seed Placement

• Seed placement or prostate brachytherapy, is a treatment option for prostate cancer. It uses radiation therapy to destroy the cancerous cells, according to the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center.

Procedure

• A surgeon uses needles to place dozens of tiny radioactive implants called seeds inside a patient's prostate. The seeds emit radiation for months, killing the prostate cancer.

Advantages

• Seed placement to treat prostate cancer offers the advantages of being minimally invasive, requiring less recovery time from the procedure and less time spent in hospital.

Considerations

• Internal radiation therapy, including seed placement, can cause incontinence and impotence. A doctor can recommend ways to manage both side effects.