Brachytherapy
Targeting cancer from the inside out
New hope for cancer patients
Not all cancer tumors require surgery. Brachytherapy, a less invasive treatment, offers new hope to cancer patients. This state-of-the-art procedure fights cancer from the inside out, implanting tiny radioactive seeds directly into the tumor using an ultrasound-guided needle. Unlike external radiation that aims beams through the skin, brachytherapy avoids healthy tissue and in some cases doesn’t require repeat treatments. The seeds release radiation over several weeks or months, and eventually become inert.
Another, less common form of brachytherapy uses small tubes to inject radiation into the affected tissue. These tubes are left in place for 15 minutes and then removed. Either type of brachytherapy may be used in combination with low-dose external radiation, depending on a patient’s needs.
Treating many types of cancer
Brachytherapy is being used now at Affinity Health System to treat breast cancer and prostate cancer. Is it effective for a variety of cancers in which the disease is confined to a specific tumor and has not yet spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Early detection is crucial
When cancer is caught early, before it spreads beyond the initial tumor, brachytherapy provides excellent results without invasive surgery or chemotherapy. It works best in patients who are otherwise healthy and fit.
In the beginning stages, cancer often has no symptoms. It’s important to get regular screenings. To schedule yours today, call your primary care doctor or the Cancer Centers at Affinity Health System at the numbers listed below.
Call for more information:
Oshkosh:
Michael D. Wachtel Cancer Center
Mercy Medical Center
(920) 236-1600
Appleton:
St. Elizabeth Hospital Cancer Center
(920) 738-2184
