Services

 Prostate Brachytherapy (Seed Implants)
Prostate Seed implantation is based upon the use of radioactive seeds, each smaller than a grain of rice.  The seeds are made of titanium and contain a small amount of either radioactive palladium or iodine.  Prostate implantation is a minor procedure performed in the hospital.  The entire procedure takes less than an hour.  Due to the excellent long term results and minimal side effects, this is now becoming the choice of treatment for most men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

To obtain a free brochure about this procedure and other treatment options for prostate cancer, please call our office in Lake City at 386-758-7822.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
IMRT is the most advanced system for the delivery of external radiation.  This technique allows for the maximum amount of radiation to be delivered to a tumor while minimizing radiation side-effects to the normal surrounding tissue. North Florida Cancer Center's utilizes the newest IMRT technology.

MammoSite
MammoSite is a method of partial breast irradiation that is designed for selective patients that have been diagnosed with breast cancer. It allows radiation to be delivered directly to the lumpectomy site.  The lumpectomy site (the area surrounding where the tumor was removed) is where the cancer typically recurs.

MammoSite is a small catheter that is placed in the lumpectomy cavity.  This catheter is then attached to an after loader that inserts a small radioactive source into the lumpectomy cavity.  This procedure allows a patient to receive a complete course of radiation in 5 days which in the past could take 6 weeks.

If you have any questions or would like to recieve information about this procedure and our network of cancer centers, please call 386-758-7822.  You can also visit www.mammosite.com for further information

High Dose Rate (HDR)
Brachytherapy, which means "short therapy", is a method of placing a radiation source directly into the cancerous tumor.  It can be placed through needles, tubes or catheters, or by "applicators" into body cavities by an "afterloader".  A computer tells the afterloader at what depth the source is to be inserted as well as how long it is to stay in place.  By moving the the source to many different precise locations within the treatment device and having the ability to control the time it remains in place, the result is a perfectly delivered dose of radiation to the tumor.  Because the radiation does not have to be "beamed in" through normal organs, huge doses of radiation can be safely given in one setting.