MammoSite Radiation Therapy System

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women. This year, it is expected that more than 255,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 55,700 of them will be diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

Over the past several decades treating breast cancer has become increasingly less invasive and more women are opting for breast conservation therapy. Today, with the availability of MammoSite Radiation Therapy System, women with early-stage breast cancer have one more option to effectively treat their cancer while preserving their breasts. Generally, women who choose to have a lumpectomy (removal of only the cancerous tumor) are required to complete a five-week course of radiation therapy. With the recent medical advancement of MammoSite, those five-weeks have been reduced to as little as five-days, allowing women to get back to their normal daily living and routines.

So, you are probably asking what is MammoSite?
MammoSite is a small, soft balloon attached to a thin catheter (tube) that fits inside the cavity created by the lumpectomy. The balloon is inflated with saline or air and a contrast agent to allow the surrounding tissue to conform to the balloon. Once the patient has sufficiently recovered from breast surgery and the insertion of the MammoSite balloon, she is referred to her radiation oncologist for a CT of the balloon and treatment planning.

When used following a lumpectomy the patient receives treatments twice a day for five-days as compared to everyday for five-weeks of external beam radiation. During the course of radiation, a tiny radioactive seed is attached to a wire and inserted into the inflated balloon for a short duration - typically 10 minutes. Radiation therapy is provided on an outpatient basis and no source of radiation remains in the patients body between treatments or after the final treatment. Once the radiation therapy has been concluded, the balloon is deflated and the MammoSite catheter is easily removed without surgery. One of the many advantages of MammoSite is that it delivers a high-dose rate of radiation from within the breast directly
 

cancer is most likely to recur. By releasing the radiation internally, it limits the amount of healthy tissue to be affected and reduces the potential for side effects.

Benefits of MammoSite:

• Radiation therapy completed in five-days as compared to the traditional course of five weeks; allowing patients to get back to their life
• MammoSite places the radiation source inside the lumpectomy cavity, delivering radiation directly to the area where cancer is most likely to recur
• Limited amount of radiation to healthy tissue, reducing potential of side effects
• Therapy given on an outpatient basis-no hospital stay required

Breast Related Side Effects (same as with external beam radiation)

• Redness, bruising & breast pain
• Drainage from the insertion site, which is normal & will decrease over time
• Potential of Infection (6%)

Since being approved by the FDA in May 2002, the MammoSite Radiation Therapy System has become the most widely used partial breast irradiation treatment in the world and is considered the technology of choice for women with early stage breast cancer. Women who choose MammoSite as a treatment option are able to improve their quality of life when receiving state-of-the-art radiation therapy.

Dr. William G. Cloud offers the MammoSite procedure to patients who meet the criteria for this less invasive treatment of breast cancer. A board-certified surgeon with experience in cancer and abdominal surgery, Dr. Cloud has extensive expertise in advanced laparoscopic surgery and complex gastrointestinal procedures. In 2003, Dr. Cloud was the first surgeon in Morganton to provide sentinel node biopsy to help in the diagnosis of breast cancer. He is a referral source for many physicians confident in his skills and commitment to patient care. For additional information, please contact Dr. Cloud at (828) 437-0847 or visit his web site at www.CloudSurgicalSolutions.com.