Brachytherapy, a technique for prostate cancer which minimizes the appearance of urinary incontinence.

– this treatment radiation is concentrated in the prostate gland, which is why the scope of adjacent healthy organs decreases significantly

– it is recommended to men of more than 50 years to undergo urological annual reviews to detect the presence of the tumor in time

Madrid, 2011-December incontinence is one of the side effects common after undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. His appearance is important for the male changing, that in addition to the emotional trauma it causes him, looks like reduces their quality of life to not perform daily, especially linked to leisure activities. One way to alleviate this and other side effects is the application, in those cases where possible, less aggressive treatments for the patient, such as prostate brachytherapy, which minimizes the appearance of urinary incontinence.

This technique involves the implantation of small radioactive iodine-125 seeds in the prostate gland through a thin needles that are injected into the area of the perineum, without need for surgical incision. Thus, the action of the seeds, whose size is less than the tip of a pen, focuses on the prostate, significantly decreasing the possibility of radiation to reach the adjacent healthy organs (rectum and bladder). Thus, the usual side effects, such as urinary incontinence, diminish greatly.

In addition, studies such as the one done recently by the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), the Hospital de Bellvitge and the Municipal Institute of medical research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), along with other Spanish medical institutions of prestige, determined that prostate brachytherapy offers better quality of life for the patient to other treatments (radiation therapy and prostatectomy).

The importance of the annual reviews

The odds of brachytherapy can be applied in a case of prostate cancer are greater if the tumor is detected in its early stages. Because you don’t have symptoms until it is very advanced, is fundamental to the Group of risk of suffering (men over 50 years and 45, if there is a family history) is atetno to the health of your prostate, attending the specialist at least once a year to undergo urological revisions. In this way, achieved an early diagnosis of the disease and increase the chances of cure in 90%.

It should not be forgotten that in Spain each year, more than 18,800 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed and that, Furthermore, causes the death of 5,800 men, so it is of the utmost importance that the man was aware and Miss fear the urologistwhich is one of the main reasons that neglect of their prostate health.

Note to editor: the medical entities involved in the comparative study are the Onkologikoa Foundation of Gipuzkoa, Caprio Hospital General de Catalunya, the Oncology Centre of Galicia, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, the Hospital Ramón y Cajal of Madrid, the Regional Hospital Carlos Haya in Málaga, the Hospital Virgen del Rocío in Sevilla, the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, the Puigvert Foundation, and the IMOR Foundation of Barcelona.