Brachytherapy 5.2.4 Brachytherapy Brachytherapy involves the placement of a radioactive source within tissue to deliver localized radiation and is frequently applied to treat recurrent disease in an area previously treated by external beam radiation.
Difficulties primarily involve anatomic constraints on implant placement.
Common applications include the endoluminal treatment of recurrent endobronchial and bile duct tumors, the intracavitary treatment of cervical and endometrial cancer, and interstitial implants in unrespectable tumors with catheters or radioactive seeds. Occasionally, hyperthermia will be-combined with either brachytherapy or external beam irradiation to relieve pain and other symptoms of recurrent disease originating from head and neck or breast cancers.