Brachytherapy
Brachytherapy is the process of placing a radioactive substance close to a tumor either through a body cavity or an incision in the skin. This allows a higher dose of radiation to be placed in or near the tumor. This typically increases the chance of killing the tumor while sparing healthy surrounding tissues. Some radiation sources are considered “High Dose Rate” and are placed in the body for short periods of time and then removed, while others are considered “Low Dose Rate” and are left in the body to decay naturally. Your physician will inform you of the type of brachytherapy appropriate for your treatment. Willis-Knighton physicians most often use brachytherapy for certain patients with lung, vaginal/cervical, prostate, and liver cancer.