What Are the Pros and Cons of Brachytherapy for Breast Cancer?

Brachytherapy , also called brachytherapy, is also called internal irradiation radiotherapy, sealed source radiation therapy, radium therapy or internal radium therapy. It is a form of radiotherapy, that is, the radioactive source is placed inside the area to be treated. Or nearby. Brachytherapy is widely used in cervical cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and skin cancer. It is also suitable for tumor treatment in many other parts. Brachytherapy can be performed alone or in combination with other therapies, such as surgery, external beam radiation, and chemotherapy.

Brachytherapy (taken from the Greek word "brachys", which means "short range"), also known as internal beam radiation therapy , sealed source radiation therapy , radium therapy or internal radium therapy , is

The history of brachytherapy can be traced back to 1901 (not long after the discovery of radioactive elements by Becquerel in 1896). At the time, Pierre Curie suggested to Henri-Alexandre Danlos that a radioactive source could be implanted into a tumor, and irradiation of the radioactive source could shrink the tumor. During the same period,

Defining different types of brachytherapy can be based on:

1. Placement of radioactive source in the treatment target area

2. The dose rate or "intensity" the tumor received

3. Duration of dose exposure

Brachytherapy is often used to treat cancer on the body parts: the cervix, prostate, breast and skin.

Brachytherapy can also be used to treat cancer in:

The incidence of acute, subacute, or long-term side effects caused by brachytherapy depends on the location of the tumor and the type of brachytherapy.

Patients often ask if they need special safety precautions for family and friends around them after receiving brachytherapy. In the case of short-term brachytherapy, no radioactive source remains in the body after the treatment. Therefore, there is no danger of radiation to nearby friends or family.

In the case of permanent brachytherapy, low-dose sources (particles) remain in the body after treatment-the radiation level is low and decreases over time. In addition, radiation affects only a few millimeters of tissue near the source (the tumor being treated). For safety reasons, some patients receiving permanent brachytherapy will be told not to contact children or pregnant women in close proximity for a short period after treatment. The radiotherapy doctor or nurse will tell the patient what to watch out for and how long they need to pay attention. ^[6]

Electronic brachytherapy uses a small, low-energy X-ray tube source, which is placed in a pre-positioned applicator in the body or tumor cavity to achieve rapid high-dose treatment of target tissue while maintaining the Low dose. ^[7]

• External beam radiotherapy

• Prostate brachytherapy

• Targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT)