The results you want without sacrificing the life you have
"Both surgery and radiation offer excellent and equal cure rates for early stage prostate cancer. Patients need to compare the actual procedures, recovery times and corresponding long- and short-term side effects as they can have a significant effect on their quality of life." Steve Kurtzman M.D., Radiation Oncologist, Dorothy Schneider Cancer Center.
Excellent Long-Term Survival Data
"Our Experience challenges the assumption that radical prostatectomy has a better cure rate than brachytherapy and should be the gold standard for treatment of localized prostate cancer". (Quote from Jerrold Sharkey M.D., Urologist in New Port Richey Florida, study "Pd-103 brachytherapy versus radical prostatectomy in patient with clinically localized prostate cancer: a 12-year experience from a single group practice". Brachytherapy, 4, 2005.)
In comparison to other forms of radiation such as external beam (also known as IMRT or HDR), seed brachytherapy demonstrated equivalent long-term survival rates in low to intermediate risk patients.2
Minimally Invasive
Compared to the average prostatectomy, which requires hospitalization and is considered major surgery, seed brachytherapy is a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that is performed about 45 minutes.
Compared to external radiation which often requires anywhere from 35 to 40 visits over 6-8 weeks seed brachytherapy is a one-time treatment.
Shorter Recovery
Patients receiving seed brachytherapy resume normal activities within 24-48 hours. Average recovery time for a radical prostatectomy is 8 weeks.
Fewer Long-Term Complications
Brachytherapy results in a superior profile of bowel (intestinal and rectal) complications compared to alternative radiation therapy.3
Brachytherapy offers a high cure rate like prostatectomy with a lower rate of sexual dysfunction and impotence.4
1. Sharkey J, et al. "Pd-103 brachytherapy versus radical prostatectomy in patient with clinically localized prostate cancer: a 12-year experience from a single group practice". Brachytherapy 4(1):34-44, 2005.
2. Vincini, F., et al., "An interinstitutional and interspecialty comparison of treatment outcome data for patients with prostate carcinoma based on predefined prognostic categories and minimum follow-up.", Cancer 95: 2126-35, 2002.
3. Litwin MS, et al. “Bowel function and bother after treatment for early stage prostate cancer: a longitudinal quality of life analysis from CaPSURE.” Journal of Urology 172:515-9, 2004.
4. Frank SJ, et al. “An assessment of quality of life following radical prostatectomy, high dose external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy iodine implantation as monotherapies for localized prostate cancer.” Journal of Urology 177:2151-6, 2007.
