Dr Subodh Kamble is the only specialist Urologist in India who has expertise in 4D Prostate Brachytherapy for the prostate cancer treatment.

He is currently developing dedicated high-volume Brachytherapy centre, with a cutting-edge technique of 4D brachytherapy. The advantage of prostate brachytherapy is that it can be used in low, intermediate and high-grade prostate cancers. In some western countries brachytherapy is also given with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) as boost for complete cure of prostate cancer. There is certainly a role of prostate brachytherapy for all types and grades of prostate cancers.

There are severe side effects with the external radiotherapy for prostate cancer, which is widely used in India. Brachytherapy not only cures the patients with prostate cancer, but it also reduces the complications and risks significantly. For example, erectile dysfunction with both surgery and external radiotherapy is 60-80% and with brachytherapy it is <20%. Rate of severe bowel problems (proctatitis) and bladder problems is 33% with radiotherapy whilst it is 3% with brachytherapy. Rate of incontinence of urine (urine leak) is very high with prostate surgery but with brachytherapy is less than 1%.

Prostate Brachytherapy requires expert skills, which is gained through extensive training and experience. At present there aren’t many centres in the world, which offers Prostate Brachytherapy training. Dr Subodh Kamble was trained in the world-renowned Prostate Brachytherapy centre in UK and by the world-renowned expert Professor Stephen Langley.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in Indian males as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and various state cancer registries. Prostate is the second leading site of cancer among males in large Indian cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Surat and Thiruvananthapuram; third leading site of cancer in cities like Bangalore and Mumbai. Despite these facts, current management of prostate cancers in India is not up to the mark and certainly not to the international standard.

Due to lack of public awareness and awareness amongst medical fraternity in smaller cities, these cancers go undiagnosed. There should be regular camps and screening programs for both prostate and bladder cancers. This would certainly prove beneficial to the society as early detection would save many lives.

Huge number of younger males are being diagnosed with Prostate or Bladder cancers in metropolitan cities of India. Currently in India Prostate Cancer patients have no option but to accept either a robotic prostate surgery or other types of surgery. In India, patients have no option but to have surgery for the prostate cancer or external beam radiotherapy. For all these patients, prostate brachytherapy would be a preferred option as it offers equivalent option to the robotic prostatectomy but preserves the organ (prostate) along with significant reduction in risks as well as side effects.