Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy involves the insertion of radioactive needles under ultrasound guidance.

The evidence for the efficacy of this treatment is based on large case series rather than randomised controlled trials.  Based on these case series, brachytherapy seems to be as effective as radical prostatectomy or external beam radiotherapy when it is given to patients with low and intermediate risk disease.

Brachytherapy is not suitable for patients with advanced disease.

Guildford hospital offers a brachytherapy service for Sussex Cancer Network. A booklet about the treatment is available, A Patient’s Guide to Prostate Brachytherapy (730kb PDF file)