What should you know about EBRT and brachytherapy?

External beam radiotherapy, often called EBRT, uses a treatment machine aimed at a planned area. You usually attend appointments while lying in a position that helps the team reproduce the treatment setup. Brachytherapy uses an applicator or small radioactive source placed in a body cavity or within tissue, so the dose is concentrated near the target. The source may be removed after each session or, in selected situations, remain in place as a seed implant. Some treatment plans use one method, while others combine them to reach different parts of the target area.

The choice depends on the cancer site, its size and position, previous treatment, and the aim of therapy. Brachytherapy may be used for cancers of the cervix, womb, vagina, or prostate. A radiation oncologist explains whether an afterloader, which moves a source into an applicator for a planned time, is suitable.

Take the planning appointment seriously: the team may review scans, mark positioning points, and explain whether you need an applicator procedure, anaesthesia, or bladder and bowel preparation. Tell them about medicines, pregnancy possibility, bleeding, infection symptoms, and any implanted medical device. Wear comfortable clothing and arrange transport if sedation or an anaesthetic is planned. Keep a record of symptoms such as skin irritation, urinary changes, bowel changes, or tiredness so the team can adjust supportive care. Do not change medicines or use creams in the treated area without checking first.

Contact your oncology team promptly for fever, worsening pain, heavy bleeding, new discharge with an unpleasant smell, inability to pass urine, or diarrhoea that prevents drinking. Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, fainting, confusion, or bleeding that does not settle. After an applicator treatment, follow the specific instructions about hygiene, activity, and when to call; those instructions can differ according to whether the source was removed or implanted.

Ask which treatment method is planned, why it fits the treatment goal, how many visits are expected, whether an applicator or anaesthetic is involved, and which symptoms need a same-day call. Ask how treatment may affect urination, bowel movements, sexual activity, fertility, and daily routines.