Side Effects Of Prostate Radiation Seeds

Urinary symptoms are the most common.

Side effects of prostate radiation seeds.

Side effects of radioactive seed implants. External beam radiation for prostate cancer kills cancer cells by destroying the genetic material that controls how cells grow and divide. The 619 men with unfavorable risk prostate cancer received one of two treatments. Patients who receive any type of radiation therapy external beam or brachytherapy to treat their prostate cancer can have side effects.

Low dose rate brachytherapy in which radioactive seeds are planted in an attempt to combat the cancer. Long term side effects of radiation therapy for prostate cancer studies show that over time men who have undergone this procedure tend to develop long term side effects. Webmd describes how radioactive seed implants a form of radiation therapy called brachytherapy is used to treat prostate cancer. In recent years the seeds are strung together to avoid seed movement outside the prostate could migrate to other parts of your body.

Typical treatment may involve several sessions. Types of prostate brachytherapy. Prostate brachytherapy procedures vary based on the type. The radiation of the brachytherapy seeds causes these new side effects.

High dose rate hdr brachytherapy. Treatments can affect each. These include frequent urination and a need to get to the bathroom quickly. Below is a list of possible short term side effects.

High dose seeds require a short hospital stay are temporarily moved through very small tubes placed in the prostate. Short term side effects are ones that start during or shortly after your radiation treatment. The feeling of urgency will be the strongest when the radiation from the seeds is the strongest approximately 2 6 weeks after having the implant. Short term side effects.

Prostatectomy which is the surgical removal of the prostate. Healthy cells in the beam s path also are affected by external beam radiation therapy resulting in side effects. Hdr brachytherapy is a temporary type of prostate brachytherapy that involves placing radioactive sources in the prostate gland and delivering a high dose of radiation in a few minutes before the sources are removed.