title: Should brachytherapy be considered a therapeutic option in localized prostate cancer?
abstract: Contemporary prostate brachytherapy incorporates advances in computer analysis, imaging technology, and delivery apparatus, allowing exacting and reproducible results compared with historical approaches. The advances permit brachytherapy to be performed on a cost-effective, outpatient basis with low morbidity in the appropriately selected patient. Although unsettled questions remain regarding dosimetric issues, long-term outcomes, and morbidity, the weight of evidence to date appears to support the use of brachytherapy in selected patients. Brachytherapy may be considered a therapeutic option: as monotherapy for early-stage disease and also a boost following moderate doses of external beam irradiation for locally advanced disease.
authors.affiliation: Northwest Tumor Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Blasko
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ragde
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Luse
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sylvester
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Grimm
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage