How might financial pressures have impacted brachytherapy? A proposed narrative to explain the declines in cervical and prostate brachytherapy utilization

Abstract

Rates of brachytherapy administration in the United States have declined for both cervical and prostate cancers, and we argue that the available facts suggest financial considerations are a major contributor to this issue. In this narrative, we discuss financial pressures that have existed for cervical and prostate brachytherapy and how they may have influenced their declining usage, consider other proposed influences, and provide suggestions for future research to understand the scope of the issue.

Keywords: Brachytherapy; Cervical cancer; Financial incentives; Prostate cancer; Utilization.