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By Angy Mokgothu
​A team of radiologists led by Dr Duvern Ramiah, the Head of Radiation Oncology Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital conducted the first Low Dose Brachytherapy (LDB) programme in the public sector at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital recently.
According to Dr Ramiah, Prostate Brachytherapy is a procedure done to cure early-stage prostate cancer (prostate cancer that has not spread outside the prostate). 
"A minimally invasive procedure is done which involves the insertion of tiny radioactive seeds within the prostate gland. "
"This procedure prevents patients from having an operation to remove the prostate or having up to eight weeks of external beam radiotherapy. It involves placing radioactive seeds in the prostate gland permanently,'' he explained.
He also elaborated that prostate cancer has no known obvious cause with only a few known risk factors such as older age, a family history of prostate cancer as well as being from black African background.
"Men should consider screening for prostate cancer at age 55, however, men with risk factors such as a strong family history of prostate cancer or black men should consider screening much early between 40 to 55 years of age,'' he continued.
Backing his statement on early detection, Urologist Dr Robin Friedman also added that more treatment options exist for early-stage prostate cancers, such as prostate brachytherapy, which comes with much less side effects.
"Prostate Brachytherapy is the first procedure to be done in the Gauteng public health sector. It is with great delight that such service can now be offered within our public hospitals such as at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital,'' said Dr Friedman.
According to Dr Friedman men having Brachytherapy procedure are usually well enough to be discharged on the same day, or the morning after the procedure. In most cases, they are able to resume normal work duties within 2 to 3 days.
"Prostate Brachytherapy is used in a correctly selected group of men with certain well-defined cancer characteristics, it has an excellent chance of cure. For patients with early stage, low risk prostate cancers, the success rate is over 90%,'' he continued.
James Phafana, who was fortunate to be amongst the three patients that were selected for the operation said: "I am grateful to undergo the procedure to cure my cancer."  
"A friend of mine who actually underwent the procedure overseas 22 years ago initially told me about his triumph over the disease after the procedure.  That's why I'm extremely grateful that I was selected.'' 
The procedure was a collaboration with Department of Urology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, and Department of Radiation Oncology at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.