Definition

A type of cancer treatment that uses small amounts of radioactive material placed directly inside or near a tumor to kill cancer cells.

Example

The doctor recommended brachytherapy as a treatment option for her prostate cancer.

Conversation

I heard you had a medical procedure recently, how did it go?

It went well, I had to undergo brachytherapy for my condition.

Wow, I’ve never heard of that before, what does it involve?

Basically, they place a radioactive source near the treatment area to target the issue directly.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Brachytherapy → It is formed from "brachy-" (from Greek "brachys", meaning short) and "therapy" (from Greek "therapeia", meaning treatment). The word refers to a type of treatment that involves delivering radiation in a short distance from the target area.

Memory Tip

Think of 'short' ('brachy-') treatment ('therapy') — that's why brachytherapy means a treatment that is applied close to the area needing care.

Visually Confused Words