WILLEMSTAD - It was a historic day yesterday for the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC) regarding innovative cancer treatment. The radioactive source with the highest dosage ever received by the
islands of the Dutch Kingdom that has been used to treat cancer has arrived in Curaçao. CMC has followed international protocol to transport the extremely fragile material from the international airport of Curaçao to the hospital.
The official term for the treatment where the radioactive material will be used is Brachytherapy. This is a type of internal radiation. In contrast to external radiation, where a radiation source is outside the body and directs radiation to the specific part in the body, brachytherapy is a form of radiotherapy where the radiation source placed within or next to the area of treatment required. With this modern technology, the patient gets a high dosage within the body to treat a smaller area in a shorter time.
This treatment has several advantages, such as shorter treatment time, as well as fewer risks regarding the secondary effects for the patient. The treatment, which is applied three to five times and lasts about 20 minutes reduces the risk because the patient is exposed to less radiation. Different types of cancer can be treated with this material and technology, such as for example cervical cancer, skin cancer, and prostate cancer.