The Methodist Hospital Is First In Houston To Treat Breast Cancer With The Contura Applicator

Main Category: Breast Cancer
Also Included In: Radiology / Nuclear Medicine;  Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 29 Sep 2008 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

A larger population of breast cancer patients now have a more effective treatment option for targeted partial breast radiation therapy that reduces treatment from months to days.

The Methodist Hospital is the first in Houston to use the Contura Brachytherapy procedure, which allows more breast cancer patients requiring targeted radiation therapy after a lumpectomy to be treated in five days, rather than six to seven weeks for whole-breast irradiation. In the past, few patients could take advantage of the accelerated treatment because the location of the tumor cavity was located too close to the skin and ribs.

The new Contura device allows Methodist physicians to control the radiation dose to the skin and ribs in a sophisticated manner by delivering treatment through five channels of therapy and target treatment from inside the breast. This new therapy also causes fewer cosmetic defects to the breast.

"With this new treatment option, we can tailor the dosages to each patient's needs and reduce the risk of affecting important surrounding normal tissue including skin, ribs, heart and lungs," said Dr. Bin S. Teh, professor and radiation oncologist at Methodist. "The collaboration between a breast cancer surgeon and radiation oncologist allows us to offer quality personalized care in a five-day treatment, so patients can return more quickly to their day-to-day lives."

The new Contura balloon is implanted into the breast to treat the tissue surrounding the cavity left by lumpectomy surgery. After insertion, the balloon is inflated and filled with saline. An attached vacuum channel is then used to drain air and fluid in or near the surgical site, helping the balloon to fit perfectly within the often irregularly shaped lumpectomy cavity. Then a radioactive seed is sent through five separate channels inside the balloon, allowing the radiation dose to be contoured to reach the targeted area. A CT scan is done before each treatment to verify the precise location of the balloon and the delivery of the targeted radiation therapy each day. The Methodist Hospital is renowned for expertise in image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT).

Radiation therapy is given to most patients who have a lumpectomy for breast cancer, to kill cancer cells or prevent them from reproducing or spreading, reducing the risk of recurrence. Whole breast irradiation uses a radiation source outside the body to treat the cancer site, typically involving daily treatments for five days per week over a six- to seven-week period. Many breast cancer patients may qualify for partial breast radiation, which delivers radiation directly to the breast tissue surrounding the lumpectomy cavity rather than to the entire breast.

The Contura Brachytherapy procedure is available at all of The Methodist Hospital System locations. For an appointment, call (713) 790-3333 or visit http://www.methodisthealth.com for more information on Methodist.

Methodist Hospital System