Placentia-Linda Hospital offers an innovative treatment for prostate cancer designed to help preserve the patient's quality of life.  The procedure, known as "brachytherapy," involves the surgical implantation of radioactive "seeds" into the prostate gland.  The seeds -- typically 80-120 seeds in an average procedure -- are delivered through hollow needles under ultrasound visualization and this procedure, unlike prostatectomy (surgery to remove the prostate gland), can usually be performed on an outpatient basis.

Brachytherapy involves a team of specialists (urologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists) who work in concert to determine in advance the radiation dosage and number of seeds required for the patient, as well as the placement of the seeds.

Patients are educated during the diagnostic and treatment process and are encouraged to be active participants in their own therapy.

The American Cancer Society estimates that during the year 2005, 232,090 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States.  While 1 man in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, only 1 man in 34 will die of the disease.  The death rate for prostate cancer is going down.  And, the disease is being found earlier as well.  It's important to be screened.