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What is brachytherapy?
Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy. A small radioactive material called a source is introduced into your body, in or near the cancer. Or in the area where the cancer was before surgery.
There are different types of radioactive sources (also called implants) such as seeds, wires or discs. They give radiation therapy to the area, destroying cancer cells. Healthy tissue near the cancer receives much less radiation.
Your doctor determines how much radiation you need. This affects how long the radioactive source stays inside you. This may last from a few minutes to a few days, or may stay in place permanently. If the source stays inside you all the time, it stops emitting radiation after a few weeks or months.
High dose rate brachytherapy
With high dose rate brachytherapy, the radioactive source is placed in your body for several minutes. The radioactive source moves from the brachytherapy machine through hollow tubes or needles (called applicators) to reach the correct position. The applicators can be placed under general anesthesia.
After 5 to 20 minutes of treatment, the source returns along the applicators to the brachytherapy machine and you are no longer radioactive.
Low dose rate brachytherapy
With low dose rate brachytherapy, you have a lower dose of radiation over a longer period of time. You could have the radioactive source in place for up to a week. You stay in the hospital during this time, in a single room. After treatment, your doctor removes the radioactive source and you can go home. Once the source is removed, you are no longer radioactive.
There is a type of low dose rate brachytherapy called permanent grain brachytherapy for prostate cancer. The radioactive source comes in the form of tiny grains of metal that stay in the prostate forever. The seeds slowly emit radiation over a few months. You can be home after putting in the seeds. But because you are slightly radioactive for a while, you should avoid very close contact with children and pregnant women. Your healthcare team will give you clear instructions to follow.
Find your Amethyst Centre that specialises in Brachytherapy treatment
We operate centres across France and Romania offering brachytherapy treatment.
High-tech brachytherapy is at the core of all Amethyst Healthcare clinics and we strive to offer oncological patients access to the best treatments available.
Amethyst is set to continue its fast growth and reach 50 clinics and over 100 linear accelerators in the medium term.
Click on the locations in the map below:
All our treatments
Link to: Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) is a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiations to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours.
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Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. It targets quickly growing and dividing cells.
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Support therapies
Support therapies help make other treatments more effective or help patients feel better while having their treatment.
Link to: Gamma Knife
Gamma Knife
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is a well-established method of treating selected brain tumours or lesions in the brain
