Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions about brachytherapy for prostate cancer:
Does age play a role in the chances of recovery?
No, no matter how old you are, brachytherapy buys you time. Time in which you can continue to live your normal life after treatment without any major impairments.
Is the patient completely cured after surgery?
Our patient data shows a cure rate of 90% for more than 600 patients treated. Even patients in the high-risk group with aggressive tumors still achieve a cure rate of 85%.
What happens if the tumor comes back?
If the tumor reappears in the prostate years later, other treatment methods are available that can still cure you.
Is the patient radioactive after seed implantation?
Your body shields the released radiation relatively well by covering your bones, but we still recommend keeping a sufficient distance from pregnant women and not holding small children on your lap. The radiation is halved every two months and is no longer detectable after one year.
Werden bei der Seed-Implantation andere Organe in Mitleidenschaft gezogen?
No, because the seeds are placed in the prostate with millimeter precision and at a sufficient distance from critical organs such as the urethra and rectum, damage to these organs is rare with brachytherapy.
Do radiation treatments, including seed implants, cause nausea and hair loss in patients?
No, the seeds have a local effect on the prostate tumor and otherwise have no systemic side effects.
Will brachytherapy be reimbursed by my health insurance?
Brachytherapy is recognized by statutory and private health insurance companies as a treatment for localized prostate cancer and is therefore reimbursed.
Is a biopsy necessary?
The biopsy of the prostate is important for the treating urologist, as we obtain important information about the size of the tumor, tumor infestation, aggressiveness of the tumor and its spread. Adequate treatment is not possible without a biopsy.
