About Us
Prostate Cancer Treatment Center History
- 1985Drs. Blasko, Grimm and Ragde perform the first Seattle Technique ultrasound guided prostate seed implants.
- 1987Dr. Sylvester joins the Brachytherapy team of Blasko, Grimm and Ragde.
- 1988 - 1989Technical advances in imaging, dosimetry and stabilization improve technique.
- 1989Prostate Brachytherapy training courses (Drs. Blasko, Grimm, Sylvester and Ragde) begin at Seattle’s Northwest Hospital for physician nurses and physicists throughout the world.
- 1988 - 1997Drs. Blasko, Grimm and Sylvester initiate studies evaluating results of thousands of patients treated with prostate seed implantation.
- 1996Drs. Sylvester and Radge appear on Good Morning America performing a prostate implant.
- Seed Plan Pro, a planning and quality assurance company, which later becomes ProQura, is developed.
- 1997Drs. Grimm and Sylvester, with Tumor Institute Radiation Oncology Group, form the Seattle Prostate Institute (SPI) at Swedish Hospital in Seattle.
- The Seattle Prostate Institute Education Department is started.
- Dr. Blasko leaves Northwest Hospital to join University of Washington Faculty.
- 1998Dr. Blasko re-joins Drs. Grimm and Sylvester at Seattle Prostate Institute.
- RAPID Strand connected seed technology developed with Oncura and first used by Drs. Grimm, Blasko and Sylvester.
- 1998Echo seed technology, developed by Oncura, is first used and introduced by Dr. Sylvester.
- 1998Australia brachytherapy starts with help of Dr. Sylvester; media includes TV demonstration of new techniques.
- 2000 - 2003Drs. Sylvester and Grimm establish a Residency Training program at SPI funded by Oncura.
- 2000Dr. Grimm develops and patents Seed Link (Bard) connected seed technology.
- 2003ABS Residency Prostate Brachytherapy Fellowship Program, a cooperative relationship with Kent Wallner of University of Washington, Drs. Sylvester, Grimm and Blasko, The American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) and GE-Oncura begins.
- 1997 - 2009Drs. Grimm, Blasko and Sylvester publish over 60 articles for the medical literature as well as present hundreds of lectures and training courses.
- 2007, JanSeattle's KING(NBC), KOMO(ABC) and KIRO TV(CBS) interview Dr. Sylvester on latest developments in prostate cancer.
- 2007Brazil invites Dr. Sylvester to present on national TV.
- 2007Dr. Blasko retires.
- 2008, AugDrs. Sylvester and Grimm become the first in the world to treat patients with the new ThinStrand technology from Oncura. The smaller seed results in fewer side effects.
- 2009, MayDr. Grimm is honored with the American Brachytherapy Society's Presidents Award for outstanding achievement and contribution to Brachytherapy.
- 2009, JulDrs. Grimm and Sylvester, nursing, administrative, research and dosimetry staff leave the Seattle Prostate Institute to form the Prostate Cancer Treatment Center; a premier center for advances and research in prostate cancer therapy.
- 2009, OctProstate Cancer Treatment Center establishes offices in Tacoma, Poulsbo, and Marysville (Washington State).
Pioneering Prostate Brachytherapy: Prostate Cancer Treatment Center Physicians
For the past 25 years Drs. Peter Grimm, John Blasko and John Sylvester have pioneered modern permanent seed implantation. The team has been instrumental in the following developments in Prostate Brachytherapy
- 1985Pioneered treating Prostate Cancer with Seed Implantation in the US
- 1986Needle design for Permanent Seed Implantation
- 1990Began training physicians from around the world in Seed Implantation
- 1993Developed Rapid Strand: a new connected seed technology
- 1994Seed Site Pro Quality Assurance Company, precursor to ProQura
- 1997Opened Seattle Prostate Institute
- 1997Seattle Prostate Institute Education started
- 1997ProQura Medical Quality Assurance Company started
- 2001Published: Ten year study demonstrating the high success rate of Seed Implantation equivalent to best surgical series
- 2003Co-Edited: The Prostate Cancer Treatment Book
- 2003Developed Bard Source Link connected seeds
- 2004Developed improved Rapid Strand
- 2007John Blasko retires
- 2008Developed Thin Strand with Oncura
- 2009Peter Grimm presented President Award American Brachytherapy Society
- 2009Peter Grimm and John Sylvester form the Prostate Cancer Treatment Center as a dedicated Prostate Cancer Center
- 2009Paper on 15 year experience with permanent seed implantation
Glossary: Brachytherapy
Any procedure in which a source of radioactive material is placed near a tumor. The implantation of radioactive seeds for prostate cancer is a form of brachytherapy in which the seeds emit low energy radiation in order to kill cancer cells inside and immediately surrounding the prostate.
Glossary: Dosimetry
The process of calculating the radiation dose to a specific area of the body. With Prostate brachytherapy, this involves using sophisticated computers to determine seed placement, seed strength and needle placement.