Endometrial Cancer Brachytherapy

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This video explains vaginal cuff brachytherapy for endometrial cancer, a focused radiation treatment administered after surgery.

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‍Read the full video transcript below:

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This video is about brachytherapy for endometrial cancer, which is a focused radiation treatment done after surgery for endometrial cancer. 

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Even though endometrial cancers usually grow up here in the uterus, the treatment for the disease is to remove the entire uterus as well as the fallopian tubes and the ovaries.

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But, some patients are at higher risk for having the cancer grow back. If it grows back, the most likely place it will grow back is right down here at the bottom of the surgical site called the vaginal cuff. This area is where surgeons had sewn the top of the vagina back together after surgery.

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Vaginal cuff brachytherapy is a very focused form of radiation that's directly delivered just to this site.

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Your doctor will insert a plastic applicator into the vaginal canal and a radioactive source is inserted into the plastic applicator to deliver the radiation dose just to that area.

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The radioactive source never touches your skin or the inside lining of the vagina. Typically, this treatment requires between three and five visits.

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On the first visit, doctors will perform a physical exam to select the correct size applicator. Once doctors calculate the correct dose of radiation, the treatments will begin. Treatments can occur in a variety of schedules, but one of the most common schedules is one treatment a week over 3 weeks for three treatments total. Each radiation treatment is fairly quick, between 4 and 10 minutes.

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During the procedure patients don't feel any pain. There may be some pressure just from the feeling of the device inserted inside the vagina. As soon as the treatment is over, doctors will remove the device.

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You do not need to stay in the hospital for the duration of these treatments. All the treatments are given as an outpatient and so you come and go between each treatment. 

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Usually the treatment is pretty well tolerated but some short-term side effects include fatigue and urinary frequency.

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There are also some possible long-term side effects including vaginal stenosis which is narrowing of the vaginal canal or vaginal dryness.

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If these occur there may be sexual side effects which makes sexual activity less enjoyable or uncomfortable. 

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Your doctor may give you some advice about activities you can do to reduce the risk of these problems.

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This is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before making any medical decision.

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