Breachytherapy

2. Introduction to Brachy therapy:
• Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy used to treat cancer.
• The word "brachy" comes from the Greek word for "short
distance."
• Brachytherapy involves placing a radioactive source inside or next
to the tumor to deliver a high dose of radiation directly to the
cancer cells.

3. Types of Brachy therapy:
• There are two main types of brachytherapy:
internal and surface.
• Internal brachytherapy involves placing the
radioactive source inside the body, either
temporarily or permanently.
• Surface brachytherapy involves placing the
radioactive source on the skin or other surface
of the body.

4. Brachytherapy Overview
• How Brachytherapy Works Brachytherapy works
by delivering a high dose of radiation directly to
the cancer cells, while minimizing radiation
exposure to surrounding healthy tissues . The
radioactive source can be placed in the tumor
using a catheter, needle, or other device . The
radiation source emits radiation in all directions,
but the dose is highest near the source and
decreases rapidly as distance from the source
increases . The radiation is typically delivered
over a period of days or weeks, depending on the
type of brachytherapy.

5. • Brachytherapy may be used to treat a variety
of cancers, including:
Breast cancer
Lung cancer
Head and neck cancer
The decision to use brachytherapy depends on
the type, stage, and location of the cancer, as
well as the patient's overall health.

6. •Intracavity breast brachytherapy, This is the most
common type of brachytherapy used for breast cancer.
It targets the area where cancer is most likely to come
back. This procedure uses a tube (catheter) with a
balloon at the tip that is placed in the breast where the
cancer was. The tube comes out of the skin through a
small hole.
Interstitial Needle-Catheter Brachytherapy
This procedure also uses radioactive
seeds to deliver radiation directly to the
area where the cancer was. The seeds are
placed in small tubes (catheters) that are
sewn under the skin. The tubes stick out
through little holes in the skin. This type of
treatment can be given as high-dose
radiation or low-dose radiation

7. Advantages and Disadvantages of
Brachytherapy
Advantages
• Can deliver high doses of
radiation directly to the tumor,
while minimizing radiation
exposure to surrounding
healthy tissues.May be more
effective than external beam
radiation therapy for certain
types of cancer.Can be used to
treat tumors that are difficult
to reach with surgery or
external beam radiation
therapy.
Disadvantages
• May require hospitalization
or multiple outpatient
visits.May cause temporary
side effects such as pain,
swelling, or
bleeding.Radiation
exposure to others should
be minimized during and
after treatment.