[Brachycurie therapy of tumors--renaissance of a radio-oncologic method]

In the past years there is a worldwide renaissance in interstitial low dose-rate implantation of tumors in many sites of origin. This renaissance is due to the development of new artificial radioisotopes (Au-198, Ir-192 and particularly I-125), the refinement of application techniques with after-loading devices and the introduction of computerized dosimetry. It is the opinion of a number of widely experienced radiotherapists that interstitial implants represent the treatment of choice "par excellence" and one of the ways to overcome the treatment resistance of inoperable malignant tumors. For this reason we have introduced the method of permanent and removable implantation of inoperable brain tumors, head and neck cancers and prostate carcinomas with 125I-seeds at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. Our first clinical impressions are very encouraging. The techniques of implantation used, the properties and advantages of 125I-seeds, dosimetric considerations and problems related to radiation protection are described.