Brachytherapy For Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer Using Permanently Implanted Seeds

Brachytherapy is a procedure in which a radioactive source (eg, radioisotope "seeds") is permanently or temporarily implanted in or near the tumor (eg, placed into the prostate gland to treat localized prostate cancer). The radiation from brachytherapy penetrates only short distances and is intended to deliver tumoricidal radioactivity directly to the tumor to improve local control while sparing surrounding normal tissue. Focal (subtotal) prostate brachytherapy is a form of organ-preserving therapy for small localized prostate cancers. This evidence review only assesses permanent low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy in prostate cancer.