For men with localized prostate cancer who have been told by a qualified physician that prostate seed brachytherapy may be an appropriate option.
Before You Decide,
Understand What Life
Looks Like After.
The treatment you choose today shapes how you live for years to come. Prostate seed brachytherapy is one treatment option for men with localized prostate cancer that may allow eligible patients to resume many usual activities relatively quickly. Recovery and side effects vary.
Your Life Plan
Every treatment option for prostate cancer shares one goal: to effectively treat the cancer. The question worth exploring is what life looks like for you after each option — and which one aligns best with how you want to live.
Prostate seed brachytherapy is one treatment option for men with localized prostate cancer that may allow eligible patients to resume many usual activities relatively quickly. Recovery and side effects vary.
Effective treatment. Minimal disruption to your life.
Prostate seed brachytherapy has a long, well-researched history. It delivers strong clinical outcomes. Recovery time, side effects, and quality-of-life outcomes vary by patient. Discuss your individual situation with a qualified physician.
In Their Own Words
Men who researched their options and chose prostate seed brachytherapy share their experience.
"I had the procedure on a Thursday and was back at work on Monday, feeling great. That evening, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner together — Mexican food and margaritas!
James spent months researching his options after his diagnosis before choosing prostate seed brachytherapy. Here's his story, in his own words.
How Thorough Research and Communication Led Me to Brachytherapy
When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2024, I quickly realized I had an important decision to make. Rather than rushing into treatment, I took the time to understand my options, ask questions, and do my research. That process ultimately led me back to an old friend—and to a treatment choice that gave me confidence in both my care and my future.
Evaluating Treatment Options
After my diagnosis, I began researching the treatment options available to me and reviewing the recommendations from my urologist. Before making a decision, I wanted to talk to a few trusted people and gather different perspectives.
One friend spoke highly of his physician, so I decided to make an appointment to get a second opinion – and I’m so happy I did.
The doctor took the time to walk me through all the available treatment options. He didn’t try to steer me in any particular direction, instead he listened to my concerns and reassured me that I had time to make the decision that was right for me.
We discussed both radiation and surgery, but I wasn’t convinced surgery was the best fit for me. I was focused on my quality of life after treatment. Would I be able to maintain my quality of life? Would I be able to continue working? What impact would treatment have on my sexual function? Those questions became just as important to me as treating cancer itself.
Valuable Insights into Brachytherapy
While weighing my options, I reached out to an old friend from high school who was a Radiation Oncologist, Bernard “Bill” Taylor, MD, of Texas Prostate Seed Institute in Longview, TX. I explained my situation, specifically asking what he would say to a friend who was diagnosed with cancer and did not expect to hear his personal story with prostate cancer.
Dr. Taylor shared his own experience with prostate cancer and walked me through brachytherapy, a treatment where small seeds are implanted directly into the prostate.
Aside from a brief mention earlier in my journey, this was the first time I was hearing brachytherapy described as a realistic treatment option. The more I learned about the procedure, its outcomes and its impact on quality of life, the more confident I became that it was the right choice for me.
In May 2024, five months after my prostate cancer diagnosis, I underwent brachytherapy. Dr. Taylor thoroughly explained the procedure, but I still didn’t realize how quick and easy it would actually be. To me, it felt more like a routine doctor’s appointment than a cancer treatment.
At the time, I was still working. I had the procedure on a Thursday and was back at work on Monday, feeling great. Over the next few months I also received a combination therapy of external beam radiation. I was lucky not to have any side effects, and my prostate cancer journey seemed to be behind me.
Life After Treatment
I’m really thankful that my wife was right next to me every step of the way. She helped me research treatment options, came to doctors appointments, and was my biggest source of support throughout the entire process.
One of my favorite moments is what happened after my procedure. That evening, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner together - Mexican food and margaritas! Looking back, I don’t think many of my friends who chose other treatment options were spending the evening after treatment the way we were!
To others who are going through a similar process following a prostate cancer diagnosis, take a step back and learn about all of your available options. Ultimately, do what is right for you, your family, and your quality of life. I knew I made the right decision when Dr. Taylor told me that I was going to die eventually, as everyone does, but it was not going to be from prostate cancer!
“Today, I worry about the weather or what I’m going to do that day, but I never worry about prostate cancer.
Mark is a healthcare professional who spent three years researching his options before choosing prostate seed brachytherapy. Here’s his story, in his own words.
Why I Chose Brachytherapy After Exploring My Options
As a healthcare professional, I understood the importance of researching my treatment options. So, when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I was determined to learn as much as possible before making a decision. That journey led me to brachytherapy, a treatment that aligned with my priorities for both cancer control and quality of life.
Advocating For Myself
When I started my journey to treat my prostate cancer over three years ago, I visited two urologists — both of whom recommended that I remove the prostate. I wasn’t fond of that idea and started doing my own research, which led me to become interested in radiation. That’s when I learned about brachytherapy, a treatment where small seeds are implanted directly into the prostate.
I understand that surgery can be an excellent treatment option for many men. However, after learning more about the potential recovery process and side effects, I became increasingly interested in radiation-based treatments. I found myself asking whether I could effectively treat my cancer while minimizing disruption to my daily life.
Researching Brachytherapy
The concept of targeting the cancer with implanted radioactive seeds immediately caught my attention. However, my wife didn’t like that option. She wanted the cancer gone and assumed that surgery was the best option to do that. I explained how radiation is different now than it was 10 years ago and why brachytherapy was likely the best option for me if I wanted to continue to have the same quality of life and experience minimal side effects.
Being a research-oriented dentist, I knew I needed to advocate for myself, as my medical background gave me confidence in reviewing the research and asking detailed questions. Instead of simply doing what a doctor recommended, I knew I needed to research and read peer-reviewed journals. This is what brought me to Dr. Matthew Cavey, a radiation oncologist at Texas Radiotherapy.
A Life Changing Treatment
I consider myself to be a smart guy; however, I knew I wanted my doctor to be the smartest guy in the room. That’s how I felt about Dr. Cavey. Before discussing treatment options, Dr. Cavey’s first priority was clear: treating the cancer effectively and maximizing my long-term outcome. He believed that a combination therapy of brachytherapy and external beam radiation was my best option, something I definitely agreed with. From there, the decision was easy. Throughout the entire process, I was lucky not to have any side effects, and my prostate cancer journey seemed to be behind me.
When I was first diagnosed, I used to think about my cancer a lot. Even before I was officially diagnosed, I knew there was a chance that I was going to have cancer because my uncle died from it. On top of this, my PSA was high enough that I knew I needed to follow it closely. Then, after treatment, my PSA started to decline. Seeing those numbers move in the right direction was one of the most reassuring moments of my life.
Today, I worry about the weather or what I’m going to do that day, but I never worry about prostate cancer.
What prostate seed brachytherapy involves
Understanding the procedure helps you have a more informed conversation with any physician. Here is what to expect from start to getting back to your life.
Tiny Seeds, Precise Placement (~30 min)
The implanting of the seeds usually takes 30 minutes, and sometimes longer. Tiny seeds — the size of a grain of rice — are placed directly into the prostate using ultrasound guidance. No incisions. Often performed under anesthesia as an outpatient procedure.
Targeted, Continuous Radiation
The seeds gradually release low-dose radiation to the prostate over time, which may help limit exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and may help preserve sexual function and bladder control.
Targeted Treatment Delivered
After a few months, the titanium seeds are no longer radioactive. The seeds remain permanently in place — no removal needed.
Back to Your Life
Recovery timing varies by patient. Follow-up PSA monitoring is part of ongoing care. Some patients experience urinary, bowel, sexual, pain, or other side effects.*
A clear, simple overview of the procedure — what happens, why it works, and what life looks like after.
Talk to a brachytherapy physician in Texas.
These physicians specialize in prostate seed brachytherapy and welcome your questions. This is an opportunity to get informed, understand your options, and ask what brachytherapy could mean for your quality of life.
Dr. Bernard Taylor
1300 North Fourth Street
Longview, TX 75601
1300 W. Terrell Ave Plaza Suite
Fort Worth, TX 76104
Get educated. Ask the right questions.
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