The radiation therapy is a procedure developed in the early twentieth century and has the effect of damaging the DNA of a cancerous cell so that is won’t be able to multiply, consisting, in a first instance, in intraprostatic radium implants and once the radiation sources became stronger, external beam procedure became the popular choice for radiation therapy.



The radiation therapy is done by using two procedures: the seed implantation method, also known as brachytheraphy or internal beam radiation, describing the direct placing of the treatment at a short distance away from the infected tissue, and the EBRT or external beam radiation therapy, done by directing x-rays with a high energy towards the area with the tumor.

The brachytherapy procedure was invented back in 1901, when Pierre Curie and Henri-Alexandre Danlos decided to experiment a little by inserting the radioactive source into the tumor. The result was the obvious shrinking of the tumor.

The seed implantation procedure is known as permanent brachytherapy and it is mostly effective in treating the prostate cancer and is done by placing LDR radioactive pellets or seeds, very small in size, into the tumor and leaving them there until they eventually decay.

The two types of brachytherapy used in treating the prostate cancer are the brachytherapy seeds or the permanent low dose radiation, LDR, and the temporary dose radiation or HDR. The first method used palladium-103 and iodine-125, stored in titanium cases, while the second uses one radioactive seed known as an iridium wire because it is made of iridium-194; the operation is done by inserting into the prostate gland and through the perineum, flexible and soft plastic catheters.

Usually brachytherapy has some side effects like urinary incontinence, painful urination, urinary retention, diarrhea, potential rectal bleeding, constipation; but in the case of the seed implantation procedure, there is a possibility, as a side effect, that some of the implanted seeds will migrate out of the region of treatment and go into the urethra or bladder and eventually passed in the urinary liquid.

Sexual side effects are also common, some patients have reported erectile dysfunction, penis shrinkage or the decrease of the amount of ejaculation. Doctors recommend the use of condoms due to the seed migration possibility through the sperm, but also to masturbate the first few times after this therapy if they don’t want to use the condom.

There are some foods which should be avoided just because they may cause the irritation of the bladder and discomfort: apples, guava, citrus fruits, spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, cranberries, coffee, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, tea, vinegar, pineapple, plums and also vitamin C or B complex.

If the patients want to choose the seed implantation therapy as the primary treatment they usually have to exhibit the following characteristics: the digital rectal exam shows no spreading of the tumor outside the gland, the PSA level is ten or lower, the Gleason score is six or lower, the prostate gland volume is below sixty grams and the patient is not diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH.

Always consult with your doctor and follow his advices.