The precise role of brachytherapy in treating patients with adenocarcinoma
of the prostate remains unclear, Recent literature suggests that the long-t
erm disease-free survival of patients with well-differentiated and localize
d tumors who receive brachytherapy is comparable to that of patients with s
imilar tumors who are treated with radical prostatectomy or external-beam r
adiation. Advances in imaging technology, treatment planning software, and
delivery apparatus have resulted in a technique that is accurate and reprod
ucible. We explore the development of contemporary brachytherapy and examin
e the current published data relating to its emergence as a medically succe
ssful, cost-effective, and low-morbidity therapeutic modality for patients
with stage T-1c, T-2a prostate cancer.