BRACHYTHERAPY OR RADIOACTIVE SEED IMPLANTATION

For the past ten years because of better x-ray techniques, urologists have begun to place radioactive material into the prostate gland. What this allows us to do is very interesting. Because it is treating only the prostate and it is a non-surgical treatment, men are able to have the implants put in on a one day visit. It is an outpatient procedure and then they are able to get off the x-ray table when it is finished and able to go about their business immediately. Men can get back to work the next day without the risk of incontinence or impotence developing. It is done as an outpatient under spinal anesthesia with some sedation. However, most men are amazed at the minimal discomfort afforded by this technique.

What does this do?

We feel that by putting radioactive iodine or palladium directly into the prostate in a calculated dosage formula we are able to give three times as much radiation to the prostate as one did in the past with external beam radiation therapy. More importantly, these seeds stay there for a period of time. So as the cells divide and tend towards more cancerous change, the radiation is given to them at all times allowing them to be treated, affected, and killed, thus, curing the cancer. One of the arguments has been at how does this compare to surgery because after all it is a relatively new technique. Well, the ten year data is now in and this is very exciting for all men, because we find that the ten year survival is exactly the same for seed implantation as it is for cancer surgery treatment and it is an outpatient procedure with much less side effects. We feel that our success rate with the seed installation technique will only get better as we understand more clearly the area of prostate involved in cancer and how to treat the surrounding area. Most men have, as we said, minimal side effects, and as such, have less risk of losing their daily routine.

Willis & Melograna M.D. P.C.
7759 Belle Point Drive
Greenbelt, MD. 20770
Phone: (301) 474-3636
Fax: (301) 513-5087
E-mail: powerajw@aol.com