Treatment of a cancerous tumour in a body cavity or the cavity of a hollow organ by placing a radioactive implant or anticancer drugs within the cavity. Also called brachytherapy, intracavitary radiotherapy is mainly used to treat cancers of the uterus and cervix (see uterus, cancer of; cervix, cancer of). If implants (usually in the form of artificial radioisotopes embedded in wires or small tubes) are used, they are left there for a period of time. The technique may be used to treat a malignant effusion (a collection of fluid that contains cancerous cells). A needle, sometimes with a catheter attached, is passed through the wall of the abdomen or the chest into the abdominal cavity or pleural cavity (the space around the lungs). As much of the fluid as possible is withdrawn from the cavity before anticancer drugs are injected directly into it. (See also interstitial radiotherapy.)
Intracavitary therapy |
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