Select the question below or use the scroll bar to read all questions and answers in this section:

Is TheraSeed^® treatment right for me?
To be a candidate for TheraSeed^® treatment, your cancer must be localized – or contained within the prostate gland. After this determination, your primary consideration is to cure the cancer. Long-term clinical studies prove cure rates are similar for localized prostate cancer patients treated with permanent seed implants, surgery and high-dose external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), as well as therapy combining seed implants and EBRT.⁹

Since cure rates for these procedures are similar, you’ll next want to examine how treatment may impact your quality of life. Typically, EBRT requires five visits to a clinic or hospital per week for six to eight weeks, and it exposes healthy tissues and nearby organs to potentially damaging radiation. Surgery requires a three- to five-day hospitalization and up to eight weeks of recovery. Brachytherapy with the TheraSeed^® device involves a simple, one-time procedure, lasting about 45 minutes. All treatments carry some risk of complications. Long-term research, following patients up to 12 years after treatment, indicates brachytherapy with the TheraSeed^® device produces results better than or equal to surgery,¹ yet it works with a lower risk of incontinence and impotence.^2,3

If you decide brachytherapy is right for you, the final factor is to determine which type of seed you prefer. Clinical data demonstrate that the palladium base used in TheraSeed^® treatment acts faster and results in significantly fewer long-term complications than iodine-based seeds.⁴ Not all physicians perform this procedure because it requires specialized training. You may need to seek a second opinion or call 1-800-458-4372 to obtain a referral to a specialist who offers this treatment.

My insurance doesn’t cover experimental procedures. Will it cover TheraSeed^® treatment?
Brachytherapy with the TheraSeed^® device is not an experimental procedure. In fact, more than 100,000 prostate cancer patients, over two generations, have experienced the benefits of TheraSeed^® treatment since it was introduced in 1986. Medicare and most major insurance carriers cover this procedure. If you have questions about coverage, please contact your insurance carrier.

Can I have brachytherapy if I’ve had a transurethral resection of the the prostate (TURP)?
If you have had a TURP, you may still be a brachytherapy candidate. A TURP changes the geography of the prostate gland and may interfere with uniform seed placement. In addition, the risk of incontinence is higher with patients who have had a TURP. However, recent data indicate “incontinence in patients with transurethral prostate resection has been relatively low at 6% or less” due to the adoption of newer seed planning and placement techniques.¹³ If you have had a TURP, your physician can best advise you about your treatment options.

I want TheraSeed^® treatment. Who do I talk to?
A cancer information specialist at the TheraSeed^® Prostate Cancer Information Center can provide more information, send you a free educational video and brochure, as well as help you locate doctors experienced with TheraSeed^® treatment. Call 1-800-458-4372 or e-mail us at nurse@theraseed.com.