What to expect from brachytherapy for prostate cancer

Your care team reviews your diagnosis, urinary symptoms, medicines and general health before choosing the technique. Imaging helps map the prostate and plan where the radiation will go. With low-dose-rate treatment, small radioactive seeds are placed in the prostate and remain there while their radiation fades. With high-dose-rate treatment, a temporary radioactive source travels through applicators and is removed after the planned delivery. The procedure is commonly performed with anaesthesia, so you may not feel the placement itself.

Afterward, you may have soreness in the area between the scrotum and anus, urinary frequency, urgency, a weaker stream or mild blood in the urine. Bowel changes, tiredness or discomfort with ejaculation can also occur. Your team explains which effects are expected, how to manage them and how follow-up will assess your response.

Follow the instructions about fasting, bowel preparation and medicines, especially blood thinners. Arrange transport if sedation or anaesthesia is planned, and keep the first part of recovery relatively quiet. Drink fluids according to your team’s advice, take prescribed medicines as directed and avoid strenuous activity until you are told it is appropriate. Keep every follow-up appointment; the team may check urination, healing and prostate-specific blood tests over time.

If permanent seeds are used, ask for the team’s instructions about close contact with pregnant people or children and about handling anything that passes in the urine. These precautions are specific to the treatment plan.

Contact your treatment team promptly if you cannot pass urine, develop worsening pain, have heavy or persistent bleeding, notice fever or chills, or develop increasing redness or swelling. Seek urgent help for severe weakness, trouble breathing or bleeding that will not stop. Do not wait for a routine appointment when symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse.

Ask which brachytherapy approach is planned, why it fits your cancer and urinary health, what anaesthesia and aftercare involve, when normal activities can resume, and how the team will manage urinary, bowel or sexual side effects. Also ask whom to call outside clinic hours and what radiation-safety instructions apply at home.