The human body naturally falls sick and encounters various ailments. Illnesses occur when harmful foreign substances such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi enter your system and disrupt its natural processes. You can encounter them through environmental exposure or unhealthy practices—especially if you fail to look after yourself.
Thankfully, medical experts tirelessly work to find and develop cures for all types of health conditions that trouble us, humans. Through modern innovations, they even discovered liver, breast, cervical and other cancer treatment options for patients in Singapore and other parts of the globe. Learning about ways to cure cancer and manage its symptoms became a massive win for health specialists worldwide since it is one of the most challenging conditions to treat.
What Is Cancer?
According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is a disease where cells grow and multiply uncontrollably in other body areas. It can affect any of your tissues or organs and produce tumours that can be malignant or benign. If a lump of tissue is malignant, they are composed of cancerous cells and fan out to nearby areas through your bloodstream or the lymphatic system. On the other hand, benign tumours develop slowly and stay within the place where they formed. Thanks to medical discoveries, both tumour types are curable through medication, surgery, or radiation treatment—including brachytherapy in Singapore.
Cancerous cells develop due to the changes in your genes,which are crucial components of your body responsible for cell growth and division. You can inherit these cell impairments from your relatives or acquire them after getting exposed to carcinogens such as asbestos, solar radiation, radon, and other harmful substances around you. Your healthy cells can also face errors while growing and dividing—leading to cancer. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to control their development, thanks to lung, kidney, cervical, and other cancer treatment innovations.
What Is Brachytherapy?
Brachytherapy is one of the most popular cervical and breast cancer treatment options that has freed numerous patients from one of the most challenging ailments to cure. It is a type of radiation therapy also known as “internal radiotherapy” or “seed therapy.”
Radiotherapy is a cancer remedy that utilises high radiation doses to eliminate cancerous cells. If your specialist asks you to think about receiving brachytherapy in Singapore, they will implant a small radioactive object on your affected body part for a specific period. Depending on the type of cancer and its severity, your doctor could use pellets, seeds, capsules, or wires to expose an area to radiation. They will place it inside your body using a needle or a catheter.
Depending on your condition, the radioactive material could stay inside your body for a short while or permanently. The radiation dosage rate also varies between patients. Moreover, brachytherapy is a safe prostate, eye, or breast cancer treatment in Singapore. Your body may become radioactive while the object is inside a specific area, but it does not cause harm to yourself or others. However, you should still limit your contact with people around you, especially pregnant women, to prevent hazards.
Which Conditions Does Brachytherapy Treat?
Brachytherapy became a popular Singapore cancer treatment due to the long list of conditions it can cure. Numerous physicians recommend it to patients due to its efficacy and prevalence in various medical centres in the state. According to Mayo Clinic, here are some of the many cancer types it treats:
- Breast Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Vaginal Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Rectal Cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Brain Cancer
- Head And Neck Cancers
- Eye Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Oesophagal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Skin Cancer
- Soft Tissue Cancer
- Bile Duct Cancer
Depending on your condition, your specialist may use brachytherapy with other treatments available in Singapore. You could undergo surgery or receive other radiotherapy options and still need brachytherapy to eliminate remaining cancerous cells.
What Are The Benefits Of Getting Brachytherapy?
Many doctors and patients in the state opt for brachytherapy as cervical or brain cancer treatment in Singapore because of its impressive advantages that other cancer remedies lack. The implant exposes the affected area to a higher dose of radiation—which is impossible to do for other treatment options. This type of cure is more effective and less risky for the patient, helping them break free from cancer while maintaining the healthy condition of the tissues surrounding the area of concern. Scroll through to learn about the other benefits of receiving brachytherapy in Singapore:
- High Effectivity Rate
- Minimally Invasive
- Fewer Side Effects
- Decreased Toxicity
- Reduced Hospital Stays And Treatment Times
- Short Recovery Period
Are There Risks To Getting Brachytherapy?
Like other cervical or breast cancer treatment options in Singapore, brachytherapy also comes with risks. However, do not hesitate to undergo this radiation treatment because of its possible dangers because your specialist will do everything they can to avoid them. Some of these hazards rarely occur, too.
Here are some of the risks associated with brachytherapy in Singapore:
- Pain & Fatigue
- Urinary Incontinence
- Urinary Hesitancy
- Inflamed Bladder
- Proctitis
- Impotence
- Early Menopause
- Bowel Problems
- Bone Issues
- Nerve Damage
What Is The Process Like When Getting Brachytherapy?
If you think you could benefit from brachytherapy, expect to undergo a specific process before getting treated. A specialist will first examine your condition by conducting various tests to learn about your cancer type and severity. They will also investigate the size and location of the tumour through x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds. If they think you could use a few brachytherapy sessions in Singapore, they could recommend it.
Is Brachytherapy Right For You?
Only a medical expert can tell you if brachytherapy is the best breast, lung, or other cancer treatment for you. Talking to a doctor can also help you learn more about your condition, including its possible causes and risk factors.
If you want to start searching for a radiation doctor in Singapore, you can start by looking at medical websites that often share cancer treatment-related content. You can also type “brachytherapy” on Singapore search engine sites and social media pages to find medical centres offering them.
Dr Johann Tang is a trusted Radiation Oncologist in Singapore that has freed numerous patients from cancer through brachytherapy. You can ask him if such a radiation treatment is appropriate for you by visiting his website below.
