Prostate Seed Implant Radiation Safety

Prostate cancer seed implant radiation, or brachytherapy, is a process where doctors insert tiny pellets or seeds into your prostate which deliver radioactive energy to destroy cancerous cells from inside the organ. Although the treatment can be effective, seed implant radiation also poses some risks.

Identification

• Prostate seed implant radiation is generally safe, causing only temporary side effects in most patients.

Time Frame

• Side effects of prostate seed implant radiation generally last from two to twelve months, gradually diminishing as the radiation in the seeds wears off, explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Common Side Effects

• The most common side effects of prostate seed implant radiation therapy are urinary symptoms such as frequent or painful urination, difficulty urinating, and urinary urgency, which affect approximately 75 percent of men who undergo the treatment. Diarrhea and fecal urgency are also possible side effects.

Seed Migration

• Infrequently, radioactive seeds implanted for the treatment migrate or move out of the prostate, traveling to your lungs or another part of your body, according to the Mayo Clinic. In these cases, the seeds require surgical removal from the area.

Risks

• Prostate seed implant radiation has the potential to cause erectile dysfunction as long as five years after treatment. Also, the procedure used to implant the seeds sometimes results in damage to the bowel or bladder that requires surgical repair.