Radioactive seed implants battle prostate cancer

Frisco resident Richard Dial was adamant about having annual cancer screening tests. A healthy lifestyle and routine physicals were priorities for the 58-year-old U.S. Postal Service employee.

But Mr. Dial's prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, level was elevated. He was referred to urologist Kenneth Goldberg, M.D., who followed up with a biopsy that confirmed Mr. Dial's fears - he had prostate cancer.

Discussing options, Mr. Dial learned that "The news wasn't all bad."

Dr. Goldberg, who is on staff at Trinity Medical Center in Carrollton and the Medical Center of Lewisville, told him about a procedure known as radioactive seed implantation. "The best candidates for seed implants," Dr. Goldberg says, "are men with early-stage cancer in which the tumors are small and confined to the prostate gland," which was the case with Mr. Dial.

Radiation oncologist Gregory Echt, M.D., agreed. On staff at Medical City, Dr. Echt leads the Prostate Seed Institute. Prostate seed implants are a form of brachytherapy, a type of radiation treatment in which radioactive materials are placed directly into a cancer-affected organ to destroy the malignancy. "The cure rate for low-risk patients with seed implants at 12-15 years is the same for patients who have undergone surgery," Dr. Goldberg says.

Research has indicated that higher doses of radiation result in higher rates of cure.

"Impotence and incontinence are additional concerns men have regarding treatment for prostate cancer," Dr. Echt says. "These risks are common to all forms of treatment, but they are less likely to occur long-term with seed implantation."

"Other advantages of seed implants," Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Echt say, "are the rapid return to normal activities (usually within two to three days), the lack of significant pain or discomfort and the low frequency of serious side effects and complications."