Being diagnosed with cancer is always scary, but if you have prostate cancer, there’s good news. Over 3 million prostate cancer survivors live in the US today, and the 5-year survival rate is nearly 100% in non-metastasized cases.
Although nearly 200,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, advancements in cancer treatment have come a long way, giving you more effective options to ensure you live a longer, healthier life.
The board-certified urologists at Urological Associates in Charlottesville, Virginia, specialize in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer. Our team evaluates your unique case to determine the best course of treatment for you.
For men in the early stages of prostate cancer, we’re pleased to offer a cutting-edge treatment called brachytherapy. This targeted treatment method delivers cancer-eradicating radiation with a high level of accuracy — without the need for extensive surgery.
Not everyone with prostate cancer is a candidate for brachytherapy, however. Take a moment to learn more about this therapeutic modality and whether it’s a potential treatment option for you.
While most commonly used to treat prostate cancer, brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that can treat multiple types of cancer. This treatment uses a highly localized dose of radiation delivered by tiny pellets placed in the treatment area.
Your provider places these small radioactive pellets, or “seeds,” directly in the cancerous tissues inside your body. The pellets remain in place for several months where they release radiation that kills the cancer cells without destroying the healthy tissues nearby.
If your provider at Urological Associates determines you’re a good candidate for brachytherapy, our expert team can place the pellets during an in-office procedure that takes an hour or less. To help keep you comfortable, our team may administer a sedative and/or numbing medication.
During the treatment, your provider uses an ultrasound to view the targeted area and place between 50-100 radioactive seeds in the prostate gland. Once the procedure is complete, you can resume your normal activities according to the customized guidelines your team member provides.
Once placed, the seeds stay in place for up to three months. Your Urological Associates provider evaluates the effectiveness of the treatment and discusses your options and next steps with you as the treatment progresses.
The only way to know if brachytherapy is a potential treatment option for your prostate cancer is by meeting with an expert at Urological Associates. We review your medical history and discuss your diagnosis before recommending the best treatment for you.
Not every man diagnosed with prostate cancer is a candidate for brachytherapy. Generally, this type of treatment is recommended for men with early-stage prostate cancer who meet other criteria, including but not limited to:
If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, contact the experts at Urological Associates in Central Virginia. Call 434-295-0184 to schedule an appointment to discuss brachytherapy and other treatment options, or book online now.
