|  Prostate seed implants, also known as brachytherapy, are a radiotherapy option available to men diagnosed with the early stages of prostate cancer. Our physicians at First Coast Oncology work as a team with urologists to perform this outpatient procedure. Prostate brachytherapy offers patients a treatment option that is both effective and convenient.
The procedure involves inserting about 75 to 150 radioactive seeds directly into the prostate. The exact amount depends on the size of the prostate gland. Prostate seeds are about the size of a small grain of rice and emit a very low level of radiation that penetrates just the few millimeters of the surrounding tissue minimizing radiation exposure to surrounding areas such as the bladder, rectum, and urethra. This means patients are less likely to experience side effects while permitting an escalation of the dose concentrated in the area of the cancer. The outpatient procedure takes about 90 minutes and patients are usually resuming their daily activities within two to three days avoiding weeks of daily radiation treatments. To find out if this procedure is right for you, contact a physician at First Coast Oncology.
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