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Radioactive Capsule Used to Treat Prostate Cancer

TOP - Daily

Device allows for cancer treatment without affecting surrounding organs

Novel cancer care technology now allows doctors to treat prostate cancer from within the body. High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a treatment that involves utilizing a microselectron machine to position a capsule directly into the prostate gland to deliver radiation to cancerous cells.

The radiation dose can be increased without risk of affecting the bladder and rectum, because the capsule is contained within the prostate.

Patients receive 1 capsule treatment followed by 15 external beam radiotherapy treatments within 4 weeks. A patient’s normal activity is often resumed within a few days.

“This is a major step forward in the treatment of prostate cancer as the innovative technology allows us to take radiotherapy inside the body and get a much higher dose of radiation to the prostate gland than is possible with any other form of the treatment,” said Dr Catherine Heath, a consultant clinical oncologist who has pioneered the treatment at Southampton General Hospital.

“In addition, there is growing evidence that HDR brachytherapy, combined with external beam radiotherapy, results in higher cure rates for men with prostate cancer,” Heath added.

Source: University Hospital Southampton.