The Prostate ProgramProstate Seed Therapy or Brachytherapy
An alternative treatment for prostate cancer is holding promise for many men diagnosed with the disease. The team of Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) specialists who perform prostate radioactive seed implant procedures are radiation oncologist Angel E. Torano, M.D., urologist John E. Danneberger, M.D., and physicist Robert Siddon, Ph.D. Dr. Torano, who trained at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said, "Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer. We can now treat it with radiation implants as well as a radical prostatectomy or external radiation therapy." "The reason we've decided to proceed with offering this new treatment is that most follow-up studies have shown prostate seed implants to have about a 90 percent success rate," said Dr. Torano, who is also clinical director of AAMC's Radiation Oncology unit. "Prostate seed implants are another option to external beam treatments or surgery, both of which are still good treatment options" said Dr. John Danneberger, AAMC's chief of urology. "But patients need to be diagnosed early for these treatments to be effective." Both physicians agree that seed implants are not for every prostate cancer patient. For the procedure to be most effective the tumor must be caught early and still be confined to the prostate gland. The patient must also be in general good health and have a PSA count of 10 or less. The treatment is not recommended for patients with large prostates and those who have previously had transurethral resectioning of the prostate, or TURP, to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, men who have undergone the new prostatron treatment for hyperplasia can benefit from prostate seed implants. Dr. Torano said the prostate seed implant technique gets high marks in patient satisfaction because it is less invasive than surgery and less time consuming than radiation therapy. The implant procedure can be done on an outpatient basis or include an overnight stay, so the cost will be comparable to, if not less, than surgery. Studies show implants cause fewer complications, less pain than surgery, and have a similar occurrence of impotence as surgery and external radiation therapy. Contact the Prostate Program by calling the Prostate Navigator at 443-481-5862, or askAAMC at (443) 481-4000, toll-free at (800) MD NURSE. |
Prostate Program Navigator How to Get Here 
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During
this procedure, small radioactive "seeds" are placed directly into the
prostate to treat the localized tumor without significantly affecting
surrounding body tissues. The seeds are a low radioactive energy source,
so there is no external exposure to worry about. 
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