Abstract
Modern radiotherapy is an integral part of a comprehensive care of gastrointestinal cancer. Two basic forms of radiotherapy are distinguished according to the distance of a radiation source from the patient: external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy.
Brachytherapy, also known as internal radiotherapy, is a form of radiotherapy where a radiation source is placed inside or next to the area of tumour. Brachytherapy can be used alone or in combination with other therapies such as external beam radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy and target therapy.
Brachytherapy in anatomical region of gastrointestinal tube is commonly used as an effective treatment of esophageal, bile duct, rectal and anal cancer. The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the current knowledge on the brachytherapy of gastrointestinal cancer.