This is a website

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. There have been many recent advances in detecting and treating the disease and patients who are diagnosed early can have a high chance of cure.

Prostate brachytherapy is relatively new to the UK and Europe, although the first patients were treated with this technique over 15 years ago in Seattle, USA. The treatment involves inserting tiny radioactive seeds directly into the prostate gland under anaesthetic and requires only one night's stay in hospital. It avoids the need for major surgery and its associated complications. Prostate brachytherapy also allows higher doses of radiation to be delivered directly into the cancerous gland than can be given with conventional radiotherapy.

Recently long-term clinical studies have shown prostate brachytherapy to be a highly effective treatment for early prostate cancer compared to other treatment options. For the past 3 years more than 20,000 patients each year in the USA have chosen prostate brachytherapy to treat their prostate cancer.

The medical team at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, was one of the first UK cancer centres to offer prostate brachytherapy for patients with early prostate cancer. Having learnt the techniques of prostate brachytherapy in America, they began treating their first patients in 1999 and now treat over 100 patients a year. 

The success of their prostate brachytherapy programme has recently led to them being awarded a major research grant in brachytherapy to further develop the technique. In collaboration with the doctors from Seattle, USA, who originally developed brachytherapy, the team from Guildford also run an international training programme teaching other specialists across Europe how to perform prostate brachytherapy.

Further Reading on Prostate Brachytherapy is available at the Prostate Cancer Centres website

Part of the Prostate Cancer Centre Network

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .