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1-step breast cancer treatment combines radiation, surgery
June 20, 2007Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) breast cancer specialists are using a new way to treat patients by delivering a one-time dose of radiation during surgery. The procedure, called intraoperative radiation therapy, takes less than an hour and eliminates the need for further radiation treatments.
On May 17, the PMH team combined the expertise of surgeons, radiation medicine specialists (radiation oncologists, physicists and therapists) and nurses to perform its first procedure. It marked the first time the portable intrabeam radiotherapy machine that makes this procedure possible has been used in Canada. The PMH team has since treated two more patients.
"The potential benefits to patients are huge," says lead surgeon Dr. David McCready, who also heads the PMH Breast Cancer Program. "Treating the specific area of cancer with this kind of precision protects the skin, heart and lungs from unnecessary radiation, minimizes side effects, and saves the patient a lot of time."
Here's how it works: Using a probe attached to the portable intrabeam radiotherapy machine, a single, concentrated dose is inserted directly into the affected area inside the breast during surgery. Dr. McCready says the one-time dose is "biologically equivalent" to conventional radiation treatments for breast cancer that typically require, on average, a minimum of 16 treatments over three weeks.
Dr. Anthony Fyles, the radiation oncologist who leads the Breast Radiation Oncology Program and treated the first patient in the operating room that day, says: "This procedure is helping us understand more about the biology of how breast tissue responds to treatment. That knowledge, in turn, will help us further customize and select the best treatment options for individuals with early breast cancer."
Next, Drs. McCready and Fyles will join a randomized clinical trial to further study the results of using this procedure. The study participants from PMH will generally be older patients with small, early-stage tumours (less than 2 cm). The revolutionary technique was pioneered four years ago in Britain, where more than 800 women are now part of an international trial.
Princess Margaret Hospital
Here's how it works: Using a probe attached to the portable intrabeam radiotherapy machine, a single, concentrated dose is inserted directly into the affected area inside the breast during surgery. Dr. McCready says the one-time dose is "biologically equivalent" to conventional radiation treatments for breast cancer that typically require, on average, a minimum of 16 treatments over three weeks.
Dr. Anthony Fyles, the radiation oncologist who leads the Breast Radiation Oncology Program and treated the first patient in the operating room that day, says: "This procedure is helping us understand more about the biology of how breast tissue responds to treatment. That knowledge, in turn, will help us further customize and select the best treatment options for individuals with early breast cancer."
Next, Drs. McCready and Fyles will join a randomized clinical trial to further study the results of using this procedure. The study participants from PMH will generally be older patients with small, early-stage tumours (less than 2 cm). The revolutionary technique was pioneered four years ago in Britain, where more than 800 women are now part of an international trial.
Princess Margaret Hospital
Breast Cancer Current Events and Breast Cancer News RSSNew figures on cancer in Europe show a steady decline in mortality but big variations
New figures on deaths from cancer in Europe show a steady decline in mortality between the periods 1990-1994 and 2000-2004. Deaths from all cancers in the European Union (EU) between these two periods fell by nine percent in men and eight percent in women, with a large drop among the middle-aged population.
Elastography reduces unnecessary breast biopsies
Elastography is an effective, convenient technique that, when added to breast ultrasound, helps distinguish cancerous breast lesions from benign results, according to an ongoing study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
First live targeting of tumors with RNA-based technology
Finding and treating a tumor without disturbing normal tissue presents challenges - sometimes the most effective therapies can be invasive and harsh.
Menopause-cardiology consensus statement on cardiovascular disease and on HRT
A menopause-cardiology consensus statement has called for direct action to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in menopausal women. The statement also concludes that there is little evidence of increased CVD risk in taking HRT.
Researchers Identify Role of Gene in Tumor Development, Growth and Progression
Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis.
UCLA researchers create 'fly paper' to capture circulating cancer cells
Just as fly paper captures insects, an innovative new device with nano-sized features developed by researchers at UCLA is able to grab cancer cells in the blood that have broken off from a tumor.
Fertility procedures need not delay breast cancer treatment for younger women
A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that breast cancer patients under 40 years old who undergo fertility preservation do not face a significant delay in the treatment of their disease when their care is coordinated in a timely fashion.
Coffee break: Compound brewing new research in colon, breast cancer
A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic in studies by Texas AgriLife Research scientists.
Drugs to treat anemia in cancer patients linked to thromboembolism
Medications frequently given to cancer patients to reduce their risk of anemia are associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, according to new research led by Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., co-director of the breast cancer program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Discovery in worms by Queen's researchers points to more targeted cancer treatment
Researchers at Queen's University have found a link between two genes involved in cancer formation in humans, by examining the genes in worms. The groundbreaking discovery provides a foundation for how tumor-forming genes interact, and may offer a drug target for cancer treatment.
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