Vaginal barachytherapy - what is it, side effects and when is it used

Cancer is an increasingly common disease diagnosed in people of all ages. Although all causes of cancer are still not known, they are known to be related to genetic factors (mutations in genes that are responsible for the development of specific types of cancer, such as breast and ovarian cancer), as well as environmental factors.

Diet and lifestyle have a significant impact on increased cancer risk. It is worth knowing that the risk of developing cancer increases even several times in the case of tobacco smokers, people who often crave alcohol, and people who use a diet rich in highly processed foods, red meat, saturated fats and simple sugars. .

The fight against cancer is a huge challenge for doctors and patients. Individual types of cancer differ significantly from each other and require an individual selection of therapy, which should also correspond to the general state of health and the age of the patient. When choosing a method of treating malignant tumors, it is necessary to take into account the benefits and risks associated with a particular type of therapy.

Vaginal barachytherapy - a method of radiation therapy

Vaginal barachytherapy is a method of radiation therapy that allows you to treat cancer and protect healthy tissue in the immediate vicinity of the cancerous tumor. Ionizing radiation is used to kill cancer cells during radiation therapy. in the treatment of breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and lung cancer.

The choice of therapy for radical and palliative treatment is related, in particular, to: the type of cancer cells, therefore, before starting therapy, it is necessary to carry out special imaging studies, as well as, for example, a histopathological examination of the affected tissues.

What is barachytherapy?

Barachytherapy is a method of radiation therapy that allows the direct effect of a radioactive source on cancer cells. The use of barachytherapy in the treatment of cancer is a way to avoid damage to healthy tissue - this method allows you to apply a dose of radiation into the tumor. If it is impossible to influence the tumor, the radiation source is placed in close proximity to it. Barachytherapy can be used intracavitary and interstitial, which increases the possibility of effective treatment of many types of cancer. The radiation doses for barachytherapy can be higher than for other types of radiation therapy, which reduces the treatment time. Due to the fact that barachytherapy is a contact method, its effectiveness is very high.

Barachytherapy is currently one of the most frequently chosen cancer treatments. It is used for example. in the treatment of cancers with a high risk of recurrence. Barachytherapy can effectively treat them, for example. reproductive organ cancer (ovarian cancer, vulvar cancer, endometrial cancer, and cervical cancer), prostate cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, urethral cancer, esophageal cancer, and head and neck cancer. The direct effect of radiation on cancer cells, which are not only inside the body, but also on the skin, is possible through the use of various types of applicators that allow selective radiation therapy.

Brachytherapy is rarely used as a standalone cancer treatment. More often this is an adjunct to surgery, as well as other anti-cancer treatments.

Vaginal barachytherapy

Vaginal barachytherapy is a commonly used method of radiation therapy for cancer of the reproductive organs. It is both an adjunct to other cancer treatments and is used as a palliative treatment method in patients with bleeding from advanced primary neoplastic lesions, as well as lesions resulting from metastases and relapses of the disease.

Properly selected intrauterine and vaginal applicators are used to optimally distribute the radiation dose within the tumor. In the case of the use of applicators, we are dealing with intracavitary barachiotherapy, however, in the treatment of cancer of the reproductive organs, interstitial barachytherapy, including injection applications, can also be used.

Vaginal barachytherapy allows very precise treatment of cancer cells, which is one of the biggest advantages of this method of radical and palliative treatment. It is worth knowing that in the case of therapy used in women with recurrent cancer and with advanced disease, vaginal barachytherapy reduces bleeding, but cannot completely reduce the pain associated with the disease.

In a therapy that is designed to complement surgical treatment, vaginal barachytherapy allows you to act directly on the focus of the disease without the risk of damaging healthy tissues. Since the radiation acts directly on the neoplasm, small doses reach healthy tissues. Due to this, there is no serious damage to other organs, and the risk of complications of anticancer therapy is reduced.

Moreover, vaginal barachytherapy allows a higher dose of radiation to be accurately applied in a shorter time, which speeds up recovery. A very important advantage of this method of radiation therapy is also the possibility of a quick return to normal life after the end of treatment, since the direct effect on the cancerous tumor avoids VA. side effects associated with chemotherapy.

Vaginal barachytherapy - side effects of treatment

In some cases, vaginal barachytherapy can lead to bladder complications; rectal complications are also possible. Severe complications after barachytherapy disturb 8-15% of patients.

Most often, vaginal barachytherapy causes harmless side effects, which include, among others:

• harmless bleeding,

• feeling of itching,

• slight secretion of serous contents,

• slight skin irritation and peeling of the affected epidermis.

Side effects of vaginal barachytherapy usually do not complicate the life of patients who have undergone this method of treatment for cancer of the reproductive organs. It is worth remembering that each method of anticancer treatment is burdened with more or less risk, which includes both harmless and transient symptoms after the end of therapy, and serious complications that the doctor is sometimes unable to predict.

The reaction of the body to the applied radiation doses may vary in individual patients, so you should always inform the doctor about all alarming symptoms that appear immediately after tumor irradiation and for a longer period of time.

How is vaginal barachytherapy performed?

Vaginal barachiotherapy treatment is carried out using an applicator placed in the vagina, thanks to which the dose of radiation can be directed directly to the cancerous tumor. You cannot move for several minutes of the procedure. In some cases, barachytherapy is carried out after sedation. In special cases, general anesthesia is used.