Radiation therapy for prostate cancer

Investigación

Doctors and scientists trained in radiation therapy are working to improve care for people being treated for prostate cancer.

Brachytherapy

Mayo Clinic researchers are studying ways to improve the effectiveness of prostate brachytherapy.

The effectiveness of permanent prostate brachytherapy depends on how the radioactive seeds are distributed. Researchers at Mayo Clinic study imaging techniques to improve the results of permanent prostate brachytherapy treatment. They have conducted tests on human tissue that produce clear, 3D images of the prostate within a few minutes.

Vibro-acoustography

Vibro-acoustography uses high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) to cause tissue to vibrate. Cancerous tissue is harder (denser) than healthy tissue, and vibro-acoustography is particularly sensitive to hard objects. Vibro-acoustography makes it possible to place brachytherapy seeds, check their positions and correct placement, if needed, in one procedure.

Publications

See a list of publications about radiation therapy for prostate cancer by Mayo Clinic doctors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.