A team of Auckland breast cancer specialists is bringing an innovative
one dose, one time treatment for women with certain types of early-stage breast
cancer to New Zealand.
Focus Radiotherapy, a New Zealand clinician-owned specialist radiation
therapy service is introducing the new treatment option using the Zeiss
Intrabeam intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) system to the Southern Cross Hospital,
North Harbour Auckland and intends to make it available to women across the
country.
The new treatment means a reduction in radiation treatment time
for the patient; minimised
exposure to healthy tissue and organs, such as the ribs, lungs, heart and
opposite breast; no
treatment delay for patients who must also undergo chemotherapy as part of
their breast cancer treatment;
and same day treatment with no hospitalisation
required.
One of the founders of Focus Radiotherapy, Auckland Breast Surgeon Dr Erica
Whineray Kelly says: `This may be an excellent therapy option for women having
breast-conserving surgery, also known as a lumpectomy. We are the first
and only centre in New Zealand offering this revolutionary treatment. The
Intrabeam system is used to deliver a prescribed dose of radiation during
breast conserving surgery. The goal of this approach is to destroy remaining
cancer cells, helping to prevent the possibility of recurrence – and in most
cases – eliminating the need for weeks of radiation treatments. Women who have been diagnosed
with early-stage breast cancer should talk with their doctor about whether this
treatment is right for them.’
Chairperson of the Breast Cancer
Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC), Libby Burgess, says Intrabeam is a wonderful
innovation for women with low-risk early breast cancer: ‘The delivery of
surgery and radiotherapy during a single operation will eliminate weeks of
daily trips to the clinic, allowing women to avoid ongoing stress and
inconvenience and return to their normal lives much faster.
‘The precise targeting of radiation
to the area that the tumour was removed from will avoid unnecessary radiation
to healthy tissue. I’m delighted to see
this option being offered to New Zealand women’, Ms Burgess says.
Currently only women who have
early-stage breast cancer, have negative lymph nodes and are 50 and older may
be candidates for Intrabeam. The
clinically documented treatment delivers a single fraction of radiotherapy in
20-30 minutes during the time of lumpectomy. Other forms of radiation therapy
can require three to six weeks of treatment.
‘With this new less-invasive treatment, the small spherical tip of a
miniaturized radiation device is inserted into lumpectomy incision, Dr Whineray
Kelly explains. ‘The therapy is delivered while the patient is still asleep
from the lumpectomy. No additional surgery is needed, and both treatment time
and radiation exposure are reduced. This can contribute significantly to
helping patients get back to their lives more quickly.’
Localizing the radiation inside the breast is effective because this is
where cancer is most likely to recur. The international TARGIT research group
has been investigating this new method of delivering radiotherapy for breast
cancer in which the treatment can be delivered at the time of surgical
lumpectomy since 1988. The results of the trial show the overall number of
recurrences of the cancer was very low[1].
Dr Whineray Kelly adds: `Radiotherapy delivered at the time of surgery
is an exciting advancement. By delivering radiation intraoperatively, primarily
the tumor bed is targeted, therefore patients benefit from less ‘scatter
radiation’ to the lungs and heart, and fewer cosmetic problems with the
breast.’
Intrabeam can also be used for a boost treatment during surgery and to
deliver a prescribed dose of radiation therapy in conjunction with whole breast
radiation.
How INTRABEAM Works
Step 1. INTRABEAM IORT is delivered during the lumpectomy procedure, immediately following tumour removal
Step 2. After the surgeon has removed the tumour, the
radiation oncologist positions the INTRABEAM applicator in the area of the
breast where the tumour was located.
Step 3. Low energy radiation is delivered locally to the
targeted tissue in the tumour bed, minimizing healthy tissue exposure to
radiation.
Step 4. After 20-30 minutes of radiotherapy, the applicator
is removed and the surgeon then closes the incision.
Benefits of INTRABEAM
- A
reduction in radiation treatment time for the patient
- Minimized
exposure to healthy tissue and organs, such as the ribs, lungs, heart and
opposite breast
- No
treatment delay for patients who must also undergo chemotherapy as part of
their breast cancer treatment
- Same-day
treatment with no hospitalisation required
- No
travel required to a radiotherapy centre for up to six weeks of daily
treatment
Further information:
Peter Boyes, BPR: 0275 540 500
Dr Erica
Whineray Kelly: 027 453 0020
Focus
Radiotherapy PO Box 31-415,
Milford, Auckland 0741
| E erica@focusradiotherapy.co.nz | www.focusradiotherapy.co.nz
[1] Vaidya JS,
Joseph DJ, Tobias JS, Bulsara M, Wenz F, Saunders C, et al. Targeted
intraoperative radiation therapy versus whole breast radiation therapy for
breast cancer (TARGIT-A trial): an international, prospective, randomised,
non-inferiority phase 3 trial. The Lancet 2010; 376: 91 - 102
Vaidya et al.
“Targeted intraoperative radiation therapy for early breast cancer: TARGIT-A
trial – updated analysis of local recurrence and first analysis of survival”.
San Antonio meeting 2012, S4-2.
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