Brachytherapy

Sometimes radiotherapy for prostate cancer is given from inside your body. This is called brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is a form of radiation treatment for cancer that is still within the prostate gland   localised . Small radioactive seeds or beads are put into the tumour under general anaesthetic. This is so that radiation can be released slowly over a period of time. The seeds are not removed but the radiation gradually wears out and there is no risk of it affecting other people. Depending on the size of the tumour, brachytherapy may be given with external radiotherapy.

See the factsheet on Brachytherapy and Prostate Cancer and the booklet Understanding Radiotherapy for more information.