Internal body cavity therapeutic applicators and methods for using them

A method of providing radiation treatment to an anatomical lumen comprising muscular tissue, the method comprising:

• inserting, an apparatus having a distal balloon;
• a proximal balloon;
• and at least one intermediate balloon positioned between the distal balloon and the proximal balloon, the at least one intermediate balloon being inflatable independently from the distal and proximal balloons;
• a source lumen adapted and configured to receive a radiation source, the source lumen positioned within at least the at least one intermediate balloon, said at least one of the balloons having a diameter that is different from the diameter of said at least one of the other balloons;
• and said distal balloon and said proximal balloon are inflatable to a size which fills a substantial portion of the lumen;
• and a plurality of balloon markers positioned between at least some of said balloons, into an anatomical lumen selected from the group consisting of the esophagus, the rectum, the large intestine, the cardia and the small intestine;
• positioning the at least one intermediate balloon adjacent tissue to be treated;
• inflating, to a size which fills a substantial portion of the muscular tissue of the anatomical lumen, one or more balloons selected from the group comprising:
• (i) balloons distally positioned with respect to the at least one intermediate balloon, and (ii) balloons proximally positioned with respect to the at least one intermediate balloon;
• and expanding selected areas of muscular tissue peripheral to the tissue to be treated;
• inserting a radiation source via the source lumen within the at least one intermediate balloon to expose the tissue to be treated to radiation, wherein the at least one intermediate balloon is inflated to a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the balloon inflated to a size which fills a substantial portion of the muscular tissue of the anatomical lumen wherein the expanded areas of muscular tissue is exposed to substantially less radiation than the tissue adjacent said intermediate balloon.