- © 2004 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
Our practice includes treatment of prostate cancer with brachytherapy, which involves the implantation of radioactive iodine seeds. The side effects of this therapy are well documented.1,2 However, one of our patients recently experienced a consequence of this treatment that, to our knowledge, has not previously been reported.
The patient underwent implantation for early-stage prostate cancer in October 2003 without complication. He was well when seen for initial review 1 month later. His business requires frequent visits to the United States. Late last year, he was passing through customs and immigration at a major international airport when he was approached by a guard carrying a small device that looked like a pager. He was taken to a separate room where he was asked to stand against the wall and refrain from speaking while workers examined his luggage. Eventually, he was asked why he kept setting off the radiation detector, whereupon he explained his situation. The agents had not heard of such a procedure and called for their superior. Fortunately, the superior's brother-in-law had recently undergone an implantation procedure, and our patient was immediately released.
The doses of leaked radiation related to prostate brachytherapy are minute. The episode we have reported probably occurred because of the use of increasingly sensitive radiation detection devices, especially in relation to the recent Code Orange security status invoked in the United States. Our patient found the entire episode frustrating and embarrassing and is concerned that long delays at airports will seriously affect his work. Because we have many patients who travel, we now provide a form letter, explaining the trace radiation, to those who are undergoing brachytherapy. We encourage family physicians, urologists and oncologists to consider doing the same for any of their patients who are undergoing brachytherapy.
Ian Dayes Jink Sathya Radiation Oncology Ian Davis Urology Juravinski Cancer Centre Hamilton Health Sciences McMaster University Hamilton, Ont.