What is brachytherapy?

Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that delivers radiation from the inside of your body. Instead of external beams of radiation, brachytherapy places radioactive materials—using seeds, wires, rods, tubes, catheters or other methods—directly into or near your tumor.

This type of internal radiation therapy treats many kinds of cancer, especially cancers that are localized to one area of the body. It delivers higher amounts of radiation in a targeted area, which minimizes effects on nearby tissue and requires less time than traditional external-beam radiation.

Woman undergoing brachytherapy while lying in a CT scan machine in the hopsital

Types of brachytherapy

The type, intensity and length of time you need brachytherapy varies for each person. Many types of brachytherapy are placed using a catheter—a long, thin tube—or a special applicator. Some types only stay in your body for a few minutes, while other types of brachytherapy are permanent. Your care team will recommend the method of brachytherapy that will best target your specific tumor.

High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy

HDR brachytherapy places high doses of radioactive material into your body for a few to several minutes at a time. The treatment schedule for HDR brachytherapy will vary based on your type of cancer. Some types of cancer most likely to be treated with HDR brachytherapy include prostate, head and neck, or cervical cancer.

Some people receive this type of brachytherapy twice a day for several days in a row, while others receive it once a week for a few weeks. Depending on the frequency, you may stay in the hospital during the treatment and have the applicator left in place between treatments, or you may come into the facility as an outpatient. Your care team will tailor your treatment plan based on your unique needs.

What types of cancer are treated with brachytherapy?

Brachytherapy is a treatment option for several types of cancer, including gynecological cancers, prostate cancer, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, skin cancer and brain cancer. Because brachytherapy targets specific areas in the body, it’s most often used when your cancer hasn’t spread.

Brain cancer

Some types of brain cancer, including glioblastomas, gliomas and meningiomas, are treated with a combination of brachytherapy and surgery. During surgery, your surgeon will remove as much of the brain tumor as possible. Then, special radioactive seeds or an implant that looks like a small, square tile is placed into the brain to deliver radiation therapy, helping prevent any remaining cancer cells from growing.

With this method, most of the radiation is delivered within the first several weeks after your brachytherapy is placed. After about 100 days, the implants will no longer give off any radiation. During these first few months, you may need to take steps to avoid close contact with some people, such as children or someone pregnant, to limit the small chance of exposing them to radiation.

Y90 treatment

Y90 treatment is a specialized type of brachytherapy that treats liver cancer when the tumor can’t be removed using surgery. Also known as radioembolization or selective internal radiation therapy, Y90 treatment gets its name from the radioactive isotope used— Yttrium-90.

During this radiation therapy, doctors insert tiny seeds of Y90 directly into the blood vessels that feed the tumor, blocking blood flow and delivering a high dose of radiation. The minimally invasive procedure takes a couple of hours and usually requires an overnight stay in the hospital.

What to expect

If you have brachytherapy as part of your cancer treatment, you’ll go through a precise planning process to target your specific tumor. The exact steps you’ll need to take before, during and after treatment depend on what kind of brachytherapy you have.

You’ll have access to an entire team of experienced medical professionals. To get ready, you’ll meet with a radiation oncologist specializing in radiation therapy. A medical physicist and dosimetrist will help your radiation oncologist choose the best treatment and calculate the correct dose. You’ll have a radiation therapist and a nurse caring for you during your treatment. Depending on the type of brachytherapy, you may also have a surgeon and an anesthesiologist on your team.

Brachytherapy side effects

While brachytherapy helps minimize the effects of radiation therapy on healthy tissue, it still may cause some side effects. Many side effects are temporary and localized to the area where you received radiation therapy. But, in some cases, side effects can last longer or affect tissues outside the main treatment area. Most often, it takes a few weeks for any side effects to appear after your treatment.

Your potential side effects will depend on where you have brachytherapy, but they could include:

  • Fatigue
  • Skin irritation or bruising
  • Swelling and discomfort
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Bowel changes, such as incontinence, constipation or diarrhea
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Headaches
  • Cough or shortness of breath
  • Hair loss
  • Mouth sores

Frequently asked questions