Prostate Seed Implants: Do They Really Work?

When the diagnosis is prostate cancer, men will find a number of treatment options are generally available. This is especially so if the diagnosis comes early and progression of the disease is minimal. If a doctor has recommended prostate seed implants as an alternative to more invasive procedures, it’s common for men to wonder if this particular path is likely to achieve the desired results.

While there’s no guarantee with any medical treatment, those who undergo prostate seed implants are likely to find the results rather pleasing. Overall, this treatment alone or in combination with radiation has proven itself as effective as radical prostatectomy surgery and external radiation therapy.

How it Works

Prostate seed implants involve the placement of small radioactive pellets, which are about the size of rice grains, into the prostate. A needle is used to insert them directly into the desired location without the need for complex surgery. These seeds are left in place and are allowed to disintegrate over time. As they dissolve, the seeds give off small doses of radiation that can kill cancer cells.

Why Consider this Route?

While there are some potential side effects with this procedure, they tend to pale in comparison to other treatment options. All in all, see implantation only takes about an hour and is performed on an outpatient basis. Most people can even return to their normal routines within a day or so of the procedure. While erectile dysfunction is a potential side effect, the rates of this occurring following seed implant therapy are rather low when compared to other treatment options.

Prostate cancer is one of the few forms of the disease that tends to deliver patients options. If a doctor has suggested seed therapy as a possible treatment option, there are compelling reasons to consider this route. If it hasn’t been recommended, ask why.

About Author:-

Dr. Echt and his team at the Prostate Seed Institute offer the most highly sophisticated methods of radiation therapy available in the United States, equal to that found in major medical center and academic settings. These include prostate seed implantation, high dose radiation implants, and external beam radiation with image-guided and intensity-modulated (IGRT and IMRT) capabilities.

The Prostate Seed Institute is a non-surgical prostate cancer care center. The founder of the Prostate Seed Institute, Dr. Gregory Echt, is a radiation oncologist who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer.