This outpatient procedure is available to patients in whom prostate cancer has not spread to other organs.
In brachytherapy, radioactive “seeds” that are smaller than a grain of rice are permanently implanted in the prostate gland. Although the seeds are never removed from the prostate, the radiation eventually fades away.
The procedure usually takes between one and three hours on an outpatient basis, with patients typically returning to their normal activities within a day or two.
This treatment has the potential to replace the radical prostatectomy, which is the surgical removal of the prostate.
If you would like more information about Cancer Services, call us at (626) 938-7585.