Hope is in Vietnam for cervical cancer patients

With cervical cancer cases rising in Vietnam, a better treatment option is finally here for you: BrachyTherapy.

What is BrachyTherapy?

  • A from of radiotherapy
  • Sometimes known as internal radiation therapy or what is used to treat prostate cancer called seed therapy.
  • Can be used to treat many types of cancer, including cervical cancer.
  • Delivers higher doses of radiation to more specific areas of the body in comparison to conventional forms of radiation therapy.
  • Targets cancer cells with radiation to stop from dividing & growing.

How does BrachyTherapy help?

Cervical cancer patients have a higher chance of survival with Image-guided Adapted BrachyTherapy (IGABT) compared to conventional techniques.

Results are based on the “International study on MRI-based brachytherapy in cervical cancer” (EMBRACE I)* in 2008, and published in 2021.

The study launched by the GEC-ESTRO GYN network was conducted in order to evaluate the outcome of IGABT in a multicenter setting.

“EMBRACE, Image-guided intensity modulated External beam radiochemotherapy and MRI-based adaptive BRAchytherapy in locally advanced CErvical Cancer, multicenter prospective cohort studies.

Treating cervical cancer is more precise with brachytherapy under CT-scan and MRI, because it targets the tumor while sparing the healthy tissue.

Why Brachytherapy?

Brachytherapy presents more advantages and less disadvantages compared to other cancer treatments.

Treatment Advantages
Clinically proven to be highly effective Potential saving of healthy tissues and organs Can receive tratment to an outpatient basis Can be given in combination with other treatments Reduced risk of postoperative infections Quicker recovery time One- time procedure
Brachytherapy
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT)
Surgery (Hysterectomy)
Chemotherapy

Note: Brachytherapy and EBRT are complementary in the treatment of patients with cervical cancer, therefore should not be biased. Consult a doctor to choose the best treatment combination for your condition.

Treatment Disadvantages
May need to stay in hospital for treatment Treatment course can be long Long recovery time Risk of side effects
Brachytherapy (Case-to-case basis)
External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) 4-7 weeks and may include repeat hospital visits daily Long-term side effects when combined with brachytherapy
Surgery (Hysterectomy) Up to 1 week 4-6 weeks
Chemotherapy 3-4 week cycles, repeated 6 times minimum Hair loss and increased risk of infections