New Technique Replaces 6 Weeks of Radiation Therapy

A new radiological technique may allow breast cancer patients to complete treatment in one visit rather than the traditional 6 weeks or more of daily radiation therapy, according to researchers at University College London Medical School.

The technique, described at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, can only be used in early stages of breast cancer and following lumpectomy surgery.

The technique consists of placing a metallic ball into the area where the tumor was removed and charging it with an electron generator. The ball then emits a dose of ionizing radiation lasting from 21 to 28 minutes, dispensing radiation from the inside of the breast outward.

Because lumpectomy surgery traditionally requires daily radiation treatment for an extended period, and mastectomy does not require radiation treatments, women often opt for a mastectomy.

Researchers also reported that this technique could be more effective in controlling the recurrence of breast cancer as cancer recurrences often occur immediately adjacent to the site of the initial tumor, an area that the metallic ball radiates.

Other Sources: Radiological Society of North America