| There are several ways of giving
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| | can be easily shielded.
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| radiation dosage to a cancerous tumor.
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| | Brachytherapy can be delivered with
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| The most common method is to deliver the
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| | devices known as implants. These devices
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| required dosage from an external beam of
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| | may be in the form of needles or seeds or
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| radiation produced outside the body. In
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| | ribbons. Brachytherapy can be delivered
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| this case the source of radiation beam is
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| | with permanent or temporary implants.
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| located 80-100 cm from the body of the
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| | These implants might be temporary or
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| person receiving radiation. Sometimes
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| | permanent. Temporary implants usually
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| placing the source of radiation within
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| | have a longer half-life and higher
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| the tumor might have advantages over
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| | energies compared to the permanent
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| delivering radiation from an external
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| | implants. All temporary implants are
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| source. This method of delivering
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| | inserted into the tumor during surgery.
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| required radiation from an internal
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| | The duration of treatment for the
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| source embedded within the tumor is
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| | temporary implant is usually 1-3 days.
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| called brachytherapy.
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| | Interstitial low-dose rate (LDR)
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| If you are aware of the inverse square
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| | brachytherapy is usually used for cancers
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| law in physics you would know the dosage
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| | involving the mouth and oral cavity,
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| of radiation therapy delivery changes by
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| | pharynx. This mode of treatment is often
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| a great proportion depending upon the
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| | used in the treatment of sarcomas.
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| distance of the radiation source to the
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| | Prostate cancer treatment is the most
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| intended target. In brachytherapy the
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| | common form of LDR brachytherapy using
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| source of radiation is within the tumor
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| | seeds. Uterine cancer is the most common
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| volume and the proper placement of these
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| | application of intracavitary LDR
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| sources of radiation within the tumor is
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| | treatment. These patients are often
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| of crucial importance.
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| | isolated to prevent radiation exposure to
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| There are several radioactive isotopes
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| | nursing and other supportive staff during
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| used in the brachytherapy. These include
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| | the care of the person.
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| radium-226, cesium-137, cobalt-60,
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| | The most common uses of high-dose rate
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| iridium192, iodine-125, gold-198 and
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| | (HDR) brachytherapy includes treatment of
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| palladium-103. Radium has a longer
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| | esophageal cancer, lung cancer and
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| half-life compared to some of the other
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| | recently breast cancer and prostate
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| radioactive isotopes. In the past radium
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| | cancer. Most HDR treatments are done as
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| was the primary isotope used in
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| | outpatient procedures allowing the
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| brachytherapy, but recently radium has
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| | patients to return to home the same day
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| been largely replaced by cesium, gold and
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| | as treatment. Patients who are receiving
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| iridium, which have relatively shorter
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| | treatment for prostate cancer is an
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| half-life and lower energies and because
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| | exception who may remain in the hospital
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| of this the radiation from these isotopes
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| | for 2-3 days during the treatment.
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