Brachytherapy is the placement of radioactive sources in or just next to a tumor.
The word brachytherapy comes from the Greek “brachy,” meaning short distance. During brachytherapy, the radioactive sources may be left in place permanently or only temporarily, depending upon your cancer. To position the sources accurately, special catheters or applicators are used.

There are two main types of brachytherapy — intracavitary brachytherapy and interstitial brachytherapy.

With intracavitary brachytherapy, the radioactive sources are put into a space near where the tumor is located, such as the cervix, the vagina or the windpipe.

With interstitial brachytherapy, the radioactive sources are put directly into the tissues, such as the prostate, breast or cervix.

Beoklinika uses a device popularly called high-dose-rate remote afterloading machine, which allows radiation oncologists to complete brachytherapy quickly, in about 10 to 20 minutes. Powerful radioactive sources travel through small tubes called catheters to the tumor for the amount of time prescribed by a radiation oncologist and depends on a type and characteristics of a tumor. A patient may be able to leave the hospital shortly after the brachytherapy procedure.

Depending on the area treated, type and characteristics of the tumor, you may receive several brachyhtherapy treatments over a number of days or weeks.