Brachytherapy is the component of cancer treatment in which a radiation source is placed directly inside or immediately adjacent to the tumour, delivering a very high dose to the cancer while the dose to surrounding normal tissues falls off sharply over a short distance. In cervical cancer, brachytherapy is not an optional addition to external beam radiation: it is an essential, integral component of curative-intent treatment, and omitting it reduces the cure rate. For endometrial cancer after hysterectomy, vault brachytherapy provides excellent local control with less toxicity than extended pelvic radiation. Dr. P Sasikala holds the Best Paper Award from the Indian Brachytherapy Society (2016) for her research on intraoperative brachytherapy technique, published in the Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy and the Journal of Carcinogenesis, and her clinical experience in brachytherapy for cervical, endometrial, vaginal, and vulvar cancers represents one of the most technically specialised dimensions of her practice at SPARSH Hospital, Hennur Road, Bengaluru.
Written by Dr. P Sasikala, MBBS, DMRT, DNB (Radiation Oncology), Best Paper Award (Indian Brachytherapy Society, 2016), Karnataka Leadership Award, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, SPARSH Hospital, Hennur Road, HBR Layout, Bengaluru 560043. Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Phone: +91 80958 09322.
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