I have heard that prostate implants were tried many years ago and didn’t work. Why should they work now?
There are two reasons. 1) Improvements in our ability to properly select patients, partly based on our experience in those early years, as well as more recent data. 2) Improvements in implant quality as a result of advances in ultrasound imaging, computerized dosimetry, and tools and devices used in the procedure. The early attempts at prostate brachytherapy (PB) did not use imaging or computers (they were performed by “feel” and eye). In retrospect, it appears that although the results in the early experience with PB were generally unsatisfactory, among those few patients properly selected by today’s standards and fortunate enough to receive decent implants, results were quite favorable. Unfortunately, many physicians (including urologists) especially those trained in the prior generation, remain biased against PB because of their experience with these primitive techniques. Many can’t appreciate the vast improvements in the techniques of today.
