Internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy)
Internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy) is a cancer treatment where a radioactive source is put inside your body.
What is internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy)?
Internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy) is a cancer treatment where radiation sources are put directly into the body. This means doses of radiation can be given to cancer cells, while avoiding damage to the area around the cancer.
The radiation is sealed in an implant, which can be in the form of a tube, seed or capsule.
Implants are placed on or near the tumour. If you’re having brachytherapy after surgery to remove a tumour, the radiation source will be put in the area where the tumour was.
How much brachytherapy treatment will I have?
You may need brachytherapy (internal radiotherapy) only once or a small number of times. You might have external radiotherapy or other treatments too, or you might only have brachytherapy. It depends on the type of cancer you have and what your consultant thinks will work best for you.
Will I need to stay in hospital?
Brachytherapy can be given as an outpatient (where you will go home after treatment) or inpatient (where you stay in hospital). It depends on the type of implant and the dose of radiation used.
Temporary implants
Most internal radiotherapy implants are temporary implants.
The implants are put into your body and removed after a short time (often 20-30 minutes), once the prescribed dose of radiation is given is given.
You may be admitted to the hospital or radiotherapy unit the day before your treatment.
Tests before brachytherapy
Depending on the location of the tumour, you may need extra tests such as blood tests, X-rays, ultrasound scans or CT scans.
Usually, the applicator or seeds will be put in under general anaesthetic, but you may have a local anaesthetic to numb the area being treated, depending on the type of implant you’re having. For brachytherapy to the pelvis, usually a spinal anaesthetic is given.
The implants are put into your body using applicators. Applicators may be thin wires or plastic tubes called catheters. The applicator can be placed directly into the tumour or put into a body cavity. For example, the womb. Or it may be placed in the area where your tumour was removed during surgery.
Depending on your cancer you may have one or more applicators.
Once the applicators are in place, an X-ray or CT scan will be taken to check if they are in the correct place.
You will be taken to a special room for treatment.The applicators will first be attached to a machine. When this machine is switched on it passes a small radioactive source into the applicator. You may hear this referred to as ‘afterloading’. What happens during treatment can vary depending on the location of your tumour and the dose you receive.
High dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy
High-dose rate (HDR)
Giving a high dose of radiation for a short time. The implant may only be left in for 20-30 minutes.
Low-dose rate (LDR)
The implants are left for a longer time (up to a few days), to give a lower dose of radiation over a longer period. You’ll normally stay in hospital until it’s time for the implants to be removed.
Permanent implants
These are mainly used to treat prostate cancer. Tiny radioactive ‘seeds’ are left in the body and lose their radiation gradually over time. We have more information on brachytherapy for prostate cancer.
Your doctor, radiation therapist and nurse will carefully explain what will happen during treatment, how long the applicator and implant must stay in place, when you can go home and any precautions you must take.
Talk to a Cancer Nurse
Support Line
Our Daffodil Centres
