While brachytherapy applications are not widely used for cancer diagnoses in the upper GI tract (including the esophagus, liver, stomach, and pancreas), they have a clear role in palliation and symptom management and occasionally definitive locoregional treatment. With the increasing use of image-guided techniques, the incidence of side effects and complications has shown to be lower than many other alternative treatment modalities, making brachytherapy approaches a preferred treatment option. This review examines procedural complications and acute and chronic adverse effects from radiation associated with esophageal, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic brachytherapy and their management.
Keywords: Biliary brachytherapy; Complications; Endoluminal brachytherapy; Esophageal brachytherapy; Intraluminal brachytherapy; Liver brachytherapy; Pancreatic brachytherapy; Toxicity.
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