High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy in gynecologic cancer regression: a review of the literature

ABSTRACT

Brachytherapy as a form of treatment for gynecological tumors has been used for a long time in Brazil (since 1991) and can be considered as a form of radiotherapy treatment. High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy aims at delivering high dose rates of radiation in restricted volumes of the body, thereby increasing disease control and lower treatment toxicity for adjacent normal tissues. Cervical cancer (CC) is a disease that still affects women in developing countries and, despite being detected by laboratory and imaging tests, in many developing countries these techniques are not yet accessible to all that are affected by cervical cancer. HDR presents important results when isolated or in association with other treatment techniques. Numerous studies have shown that HDR for gynecological cancer presents results that can reach up to 85% cure, and with this it is concluded that there are few complications during or after treatment, since adjacent tissues are preserved, making HDR a safe procedure for patients and professionals.