Brachytherapy or internal radiation therapy:
Brachytherapy involve use of high dose of radiation by inserting radioactive source in or around tumor. Earlier internal radiation required hospital stay for 3 to 5 days in isolated rooms. But presently with HDR High Dose Rate brachytherapy available in our institution, the treatment can be taken on an out-patient basis. The time period of treatment is less than an hour. Brachytherapy is usually delivered in one of two ways:
Intracavitary or intraluminal radiation therapy - commonly used in the treatment of cancer of uterus cervix, vagina, esophagus [food pipe], trachea and bronchus (wind pipes in the neck and lungs), and gallbladder etc.
Interstitial Radiation Therapy -
Commonly used to treat tumors of the head and neck, cervix, breast, limbs, perianal etc.
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