Brachytherapy: A Targeted Approach to Defeating Cancer
Brachytherapy is a highly specialized form of radiation therapy that brings the treatment directly to the tumor rather than sending radiation from an external machine. The term comes from the Greek word brachys, meaning “short distance,” and that is exactly how the therapy works—delivering radiation from inside the body, at a location extremely close to cancer cells. This targeted technique helps destroy malignant tissues while minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy structures.
Unlike external beam radiation therapy, which passes radiation through the skin and deeper tissues, brachytherapy relies on radioactive sources placed within or next to the tumor. This internal approach allows clinicians to administer high doses of radiation in a controlled and localized manner. The precision not only improves treatment effectiveness but often reduces the side effects typically associated with radiation therapies.
There are two major forms of brachytherapy: temporary and permanent.…