News Today

AMomNETN

I may be late with this one but tonight on the news they were talking about BC. They said that now with a lumpetomy they put the radiation directly into the site after removal. They said this is usually just as effective as traditional rads. It wouldn't have helped me but for a lot of others this sounds great with a lot less side effects.

Janie

natly15

I met a lady who was stage 0
I met a lady who was stage 0 who went with this procedure. I would guess that it depends on the stage of the BC and other circumstances. it was not offered to me but we know that new treatments and meds are coming out more frequently now.

mollyz

News
I saw that news also,but as you said it wouldn't have helped me either, but any news is good news to all of us. I heard on good morning America this morning that they have a blood test that will determine whether you'll get recurrence or not and it will be out by the end of this year it's called VeraMarker-BCR Breast Cancer Test. MOLLYZ

AMomNETN

mollyz said:

News
I saw that news also,but as you said it wouldn't have helped me either, but any news is good news to all of us. I heard on good morning America this morning that they have a blood test that will determine whether you'll get recurrence or not and it will be out by the end of this year it's called VeraMarker-BCR Breast Cancer Test. MOLLYZ

Test
I'm not sure I'd want to know my chances of recurrence. My insurance probably wouldn't pay anywhere. It wouldn't be medically necessary. I hate those 2 words.

Janie

BioAdoptMom

AMomNETN said:

Test
I'm not sure I'd want to know my chances of recurrence. My insurance probably wouldn't pay anywhere. It wouldn't be medically necessary. I hate those 2 words.

Janie

My rads oncologist actually
My rads oncologist actually mentioned that to me when I saw him right before my surgery, but if this is the same thing he did mention that it hasn't been studied very much in women who are pre-menopausal.

Nancy

Marsha Mulvey

BioAdoptMom said:

My rads oncologist actually
My rads oncologist actually mentioned that to me when I saw him right before my surgery, but if this is the same thing he did mention that it hasn't been studied very much in women who are pre-menopausal.

Nancy

while waiting
While waiting for a real cure, it's always good to see possible advancements in the treatments for BC. Nothing works for everyone, but if it benefits any, that's great!
Marsha

missrenee

Marsha Mulvey said:

while waiting
While waiting for a real cure, it's always good to see possible advancements in the treatments for BC. Nothing works for everyone, but if it benefits any, that's great!
Marsha

I almost had this done
however, my surgeon and rad. onc. said it could only be done if the cancer was still within the duct. Alas, mine was invasive and had also spread to 10 lymph nodes so that method was not possible for me. I do hope it can help many women with early stage cancer.

Hugs, Renee

TraciInLA

missrenee said:

I almost had this done
however, my surgeon and rad. onc. said it could only be done if the cancer was still within the duct. Alas, mine was invasive and had also spread to 10 lymph nodes so that method was not possible for me. I do hope it can help many women with early stage cancer.

Hugs, Renee

Brachytherapy
I think the procedure you're probably referring to is brachytherapy. The ACS' web page on radiation treatment for breast cancer (http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-treating-radiation) has a good outline of it -- I've pasted it below:
____________________

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, also known as internal radiation, is another way to deliver radiation therapy. Instead of aiming radiation beams from outside the body, radioactive seeds or pellets are placed directly into the breast tissue next to the cancer. It is often used as a way to add an extra boost of radiation to the tumor site (along with external radiation to the whole breast), although it may also be used by itself (see below). Tumor size, location, and other factors may limit who can get brachytherapy.

There are different types of brachytherapy.

Intracavitary brachytherapy: This method of brachytherapy consists of a small balloon attached to a thin tube. The deflated balloon is inserted into the space left by the lumpectomy and is filled with a salt water solution. (This can be done at the time of lumpectomy or within several weeks afterward.) The balloon and tube are left in place throughout treatment (with the end of the tube sticking out of the breast). Twice a day a source of radioactivity is placed into the middle of the balloon through the tube and then removed. This is done for 5 days as an outpatient treatment. The balloon is then deflated and removed. This system goes by the brand name, Mammosite®. This type of brachytherapy can also be considered a form of accelerated partial breast irradiation. Like many forms of accelerated breast irradiation, there are no studies comparing outcomes with this type of radiation directly with standard external beam radiation. It is not known if the long-term outcomes will be as good.

Interstitial brachytherapy: In this approach, several small, hollow tubes called catheters are inserted into the breast around the area of the lumpectomy and are left in place for several days. Radioactive pellets are inserted into the catheters for short periods of time each day and then removed. This method of brachytherapy has been around longer (and has more evidence to support it), but it is not used as much anymore.

While these methods are sometimes used as ways to add a boost of radiation to the tumor site (along with external radiation to the whole breast), they are also being studied in clinical trials as the only source of radiation for women who have had a lumpectomy. In this sense they can also be considered forms of accelerated partial breast irradiation. Early results have been promising, but long-term results are not yet available, and it's not yet clear if irradiating only the area around the cancer will reduce the chances of the cancer coming back as much as giving radiation to the whole breast. The results of studies now being done will probably be needed before more doctors recommend accelerated partial breast irradiation as a standard treatment option.

Last Medical Review: 09/17/2010
Last Revised: 02/09/2011

Marcha Louise

natly15 said:

I met a lady who was stage 0
I met a lady who was stage 0 who went with this procedure. I would guess that it depends on the stage of the BC and other circumstances. it was not offered to me but we know that new treatments and meds are coming out more frequently now.

mammosite radiation
I have stage 2A breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy on April 6th, 2011 and mammosite radiation twice a day for 5 days from April 19 thru April 25th. The worst part of it was when they put the mammosite in the breast in the surgeons office 9 days after surgery. After initial insertion no pain, felt like it would if you had a bladder cathater. Have had some fatigue but it is getting better. I would recommend it to anyone who is a candidate. Not home free yet, having the oncotype test done. If score is low will only have hormone therapy and if high will have chemo every 3 weeks for 6 months.