Brachytherapy can be administered either permanently or temporarily. In permanent brachytherapy, radioactive seed implants are made either inside or close to the tumour. Low-dose radiation gradually disappears after six months after being absorbed over time. Permanent implants are not removed from the body. The radiation weakens over time.
A catheter or applicator is used to deliver radiotherapy to a target spot during temporary Brachytherapy. High-dosage radiation may only be applied for a short period of time in cases of low dose radiotherapy, when the radioactive material is typically placed in the delivery device for 12 to 24 hours before being withdrawn. However, it may also be used to treat head and neck cancer. Brachytherapy is mostly used to treat cancer of the prostate, cervix, and womb. A medical physicist, a licenced dosimetrist (supervised by a physicist), or a radiation oncologist are responsible for the planning and execution of brachytherapy. The radiation oncologist develops the overall treatment strategy.
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