There's a new, more convenient type of radiation therapy that makes breast conservation treatment a more appealing option for some women who have early-stage breast cancer.

Surgeons at Manatee Memorial Hospital perform lumpectomies or partial mastectomies and insert special MammoSiteŽ balloon catheters into women who are candidates for accelerated partial breast radiation (APBR).

"With APBR, we can treat the areas at greatest risk for recurrences internally and limit damage to healthy tissue," says A. Samir Hassan, MD, FACS, a boardcertified general surgeon at Manatee Memorial Hospital. "APBR is a relatively young concept, but early results show that it's as effective as external beam radiation."

Drawbacks of Traditional Radiation
Most women who undergo breast conservation surgery -- procedures that remove the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue while preserving as much of the breast as possible -- also need radiation therapy to destroy remaining cancer cells.

But traditional external beam radiation has some limitations. It radiates the entire breast and can cause discoloration and cosmetic changes to the breast. It's also time-consuming. Women need treatment five days a week for six or seven weeks.

"Some women have transportation or scheduling issues that make traditional radiation therapy difficult," says Dr. Hassan.

How APBR Works
Surgeons first perform a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy to remove the cancer and place a temporary balloon catheter inside the tumor cavity. Doctors send the tumor and other tissue samples to a pathologist for evaluation. When pathology reports show there's no cancer in the lymph nodes or tumor margins -- the tissue surrounding the tumor -- women can continue their treatment with APBR.

To prepare patients for APBR, doctors deflate and remove the temporary catheter, insert the MammoSite balloon catheter and fill the balloon with saline. Women then undergo APBR twice a day for five days. During these 10-minute treatments, doctors connect the MammoSite balloon catheter to a computerized machine that delivers tiny radioactive seeds directly to the site of the tumor and removes the seeds when the session is complete.

"MammoSite technology is an exciting advance for many women," says Dr. Hassan. "It takes less time than traditional radiation, causes less cosmetic damage to the breast and lets women get on with their lives as quickly as possible."

A. Samir Hassan, MD, FACS Manatee Surgical Specialists 201 4th Ave. East, Suite 2 Bradenton, FL 34208 941-748-6099

Is APBR Right for You?
APBR doesn't replace traditional radiation therapy, and it's not for all women with breast cancer. Women who may benefit from APBR include those:

• Who have small, early-stage tumors
• Whose cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes or tumor margins
• Who have an adequate amount of tissue remaining in the breast