Health Conditions

The purpose of radiation therapy is to kill cancer cells with high-energy X-rays. Radiation therapy is an alternative to surgery in patients with the early stages of prostate cancer. It is also sometimes used after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells. Radiation therapy can cause side effects such as fatigue, hair loss, or irritation of the skin in treated areas. Most radiation techniques minimize the amount of radiation that reaches healthy areas of the body.

A relatively new type of radiation is known as radioactive seed implant therapy, or brachytherapy. Small radioactive seeds are placed in the prostate and deliver their radiation from inside the body. This is exciting because in external techniques, radiation must penetrate healthy tissue before reaching the prostate. In this variation, the radiation reaches the prostate first.

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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.