With recent advances in radiation oncology, knowledge is power for women exploring their treatment options when fighting breast cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women today. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. About 182,460 women in the United States will be found to have invasive breast cancer in 2008. About 40,480 women will die from the disease this year.

The good news is that the disease can be prevented or detected early by routine self- exams, yearly doctor visits and mammograms, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and incorporating healthy diet and lifestyle changes. However, those who are already diagnosed with the disease are faced with the complicated task of educating themselves on the latest available treatment options.

Oncology San Antonio is dedicated to providing its patients access to the most advanced treatment options for cancer. One of the most exciting developments in cancer treatment is the FDA-approved MammoSite Radiation Therapy System (RTS).

Thanks to this new technology, cancer specialists are now capable of delivering higher doses of radiation to the tumor site with more precision and accuracy. Marta Dahiya, M.D., radiation oncologist, of Oncology San Antonio is an expert on the use of radiation therapy to treat breast cancer and believes that this technology is helping redefine the fight against breast cancer.

“Breast cancer treatment has reached the 21st century with its high-tech capabilities. It is rapidly becoming the standard of care within our field,” explained Dahiya. “As a result of this new technology, cancer specialists can more aggressively treat tumors with higher doses of radiation without damaging any healthy tissues or organs.”

The MammoSite RTS device is a balloon catheter that is inserted into the cavity created by a lumpectomy. The device then delivers radiation from inside the lumpectomy cavity over a course of five days. The device targets radiation to the area where tumors are most likely to recur, while minimizing exposure of healthy tissue. Early published data analyzing accelerated partial breast irradiation with follow up of three to six years, reveals comparable local control rates to whole-breast radiation therapy in selected patients.

By internally delivering radiation directly to the tissue surrounding the original tumor, the MammoSite® RTS minimizes radiation exposure to healthy tissue with a treatment course of five days rather than the typical six-week whole breast irradiation protocol.

“When dealing with such a personal and delicate area of the body, specific positioning and precise treatment delivery are imperative,” said Dahiya. “MammoSite RTS allows for us to accurately target the tumor and minimize the dose to healthy areas such as the heart and lungs.”

The National Cancer Institute has stated that breast-conserving therapy is “preferable” to mastectomy for most early stage cancer patients. Traditionally breast conservation therapy involves a lumpectomy (the surgical removal of only the breast tumor) and adequate axillary lymph node sampling, followed by a six-week course of whole breast irradiation.

Two studies supporting breast conservation management (Fisher et al, and Versonesi et al.) reported in the Oct. 17, 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine that women with small breast cancers who were treated with the conservative protocol were as likely to be disease-free in 20 years as women treated with radical mastectomy. However, logistical barriers of time and travel for the six-week whole-breast radiation treatment have pushed a number of women toward the mastectomy without irradiation. In fact, studies have shown 40 percent of women with early-stage breast cancer will opt for a mastectomy without radiation therapy because of the shorter time commitment, rather than the more conservative alternative of lumpectomy. The MammoSite RTS may provide women with localized tumors the lumpectomy option without the six-week time commitment to irradiation.

“Breast cancer treatments are routinely delivered over a six-week period, but with the improved precision of Mammosite® RTS, we can deliver the required dose within 10 treatments over a five day period,” said Dahiya. “This allows our patients to resume their normal daily activities and spend more time with loved ones. Our goal is to provide our patients with innovative cancer treatment options and this device is just another example of our efforts.”