High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy
High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy involves the temporary implantation of radioactive seeds to treat a variety of cancers.
In this type of therapy, the radiation source is left in place for just 10 to 20 minutes at a time and then taken out. Patients may have treatment twice a day for two to five days or once a week for two to five weeks.
Who is a Candidate for HDR Brachytherapy?
HDR Brachytherapy can treat nonmelanoma skin cancers, offering a nonsurgical option for patients with early-stage basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. We also use brachytherapy to treat prostate cancer, gynecological cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and others.
What to Expect
During HDR Brachytherapy, a single radioactive seed is temporarily placed inside the tumor for a few minutes and then removed. The seed travels through slim plastic tubes called catheters that are positioned at the tumor site.
During this time, the radiation source is inserted and then taken out. High dose-rate (HDR) Brachytherapy has the advantage of short exposure times, which means that many patients can be treated and go home the same day.
