The past, the present and the future of brachytherapy

We reported about brachytherapy in National Sapporo Hospital (division of radiotherapy) during the 24 years between 1974 to 1997. Two thousands twenty seven patients of 13,804 which had been registered overall for radiotherapy, have been treated with brachytherapy, and 36 radiation oncologist has been involved in brachytherapy for the same period. The age distribution was from 5 to 91. The sex ratio was 642 males to 1385 females. Intracavitary treatment for uterine cervical cancer, interstitial implantation for lingual cancer and intraluminal therapy for esophageal cancer has been mainly performed by using Cesium-137 tubes and needles or Radium-226 tubes. Since 1982, the treatment modalities using with Iridium-192 wires and Gold (Au)-198 grains has been done for the lesions whose shape or anatomical location is not good for the treatment with tubes or needles. Therefore, devising most effective methods in addition to the appropriate sources for variable anatomical sites and tumor states has expanded the candidates for brachytherapy. (author)