Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment

Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment is one of the renowned treatment options for Breast Cancer. Women who have breast cancer face many terrible decisions; those with an early form of the disease may be able to be treated effectively, but long-term breast cancer issues often result in a multitude of painful and scarring surgeries. A new radiation treatment is being introduced into the world of breast cancer treatment, and it is appearing much promise for the future.

Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment or Mammosite RTS Treatment

Named Mammosite RTS, this new type of treatment consists of a form or partial breast irradiation. This process delivers the cancer-attacking radiation from inside the cavity where the cancer is located, giving it a chance to assist the tissue directly surrounding the cancer, an area where breast cancer is most likely to reoccur. The complete procedure is a long process, and it begins with the removal of the cancerous tumor inside the breast.

Mammosite Balloon

Two to three weeks after the removal of tumor, a Mammosite balloon is inserted into the cavity where the cancer occurred via a small cut in the breast. The balloon is then inflated with saline, and attached to a catheter. In turn, the catheter is connected to a machine which sends a radioactive seed into the Mammosite balloon. Once the seed approaches the center of the balloon, it starts to deliver irradiation to the immediate area for as much as ten minutes. The radiation seeds are put in the balloon twice per day for an epoch of five days. After this period of treatment, the balloon is deflated and removed, and the treatment is complete.

Minimum Time for Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment

The consequence of this new form of therapy is the very fact that the radiation treatment only lasts two weeks. Usually, radiation therapy for breast cancer involves six weeks of therapy that has to be performed 5 days per week. That represents a noticeable decrease in the amount of time that it takes to perform radiation therapy, and this decreased treatment time should be of assistance in helping to reduce the breast cancer. While the study shows promise, it has not yet been approved in regular medical usage, and no enduring results of the Mammosite procedure have been documented.

Breast Cancer Study: Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment

Studies are being conducted on the merits of this therapy, and breast cancer patients that are interested in helping the study by participating can sign up in the clinical trial by contacting Sheri D’Silva at the phone number (713) 798-8088. The clinical trial is being conducted by the Baylor College of Medicine, and the study requires that all participants be women of at least 18 years of age. Additionally, participants in the study need to have undergone surgery to remove their tumor and not have Paget’s disease of the nipple. It is also important that possible participants have had no radiation therapy on the breast or chest, as well as no previous biological therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy for their breast cancer.