Radiation Advance Gives Breast Cancer Patients Hope in Single Dose

Technology never before offered in the United States that allows patients to receive one dose of radiation during surgery, as opposed to the current average of six weeks, was successfully delivered to several breast cancer patients including the sister of the man responsible for bringing the technology from Italy.

The intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) Novac7, manufactured by Hitesys SpA (Aprilia, Italy), allows patients to receive radiation treatment, delivered with the same power and precision as other advanced radiation techniques, while still in the operating room undergoing surgery, often without any additional outpatient radiation treatment visits and with fewer side effects. IORT also offers patients better cosmetic results and improved quality of life, as the need for additional radiation treatment is minimized or eliminated altogether.

After his mother passed away from breast cancer, Dr. Pablo Lavagnini, director of radiation oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), began fighting to bring the world's best cancer-fighting options to patients. He became a crusader for IORT; a cost-effective treatment option widely used in Europe that helps patients get back to their daily activities sooner, with the same or better outcomes, fewer side effects, and improved cosmetic results. Dr. Lavagnini celebrated the Novac7's arrival at CTCA in October 2009. Since then he and his colleagues have overcome numerous logistical and licensing obstacles, remaining driven by the tremendous therapeutic and quality of life benefits that this treatment brings to breast cancer patients.

Since the Novac7 arrived in the United States, Dr. Lavagnini's only sister, Asisé, discovered her own breast cancer diagnosis. She traveled from her home in Uruguay to the United States to receive IORT with the Novac7. "It is as if my life's work was leading up to this day,” said Dr. Lavagnini. "I never expected my sister to be my patient, but I am thankful that she was among the many women who will benefit from this technology, which is very different from the treatment that our mother received many years ago. I expect that IORT will change the standard of care for breast cancer over time.”

Any patient who is having surgery to remove a tumor has a high probability of benefiting from IORT. While IORT will offer significant benefits for breast cancer patients, it will also be a valuable tool for many patients battling other cancer types including stomach, pancreatic, rectal, prostate, gynecologic, head and neck, and soft tissue sarcomas (especially retroperitoneal). For patients who must receive additional radiation therapy following surgery, they can receive a "boost” of radiation during IORT, shielding the surrounding tissues from radiation damage while delivering a higher dose to the area requiring treatment.

CTCA is a U.S. network of hospitals providing a comprehensive, fully integrative approach to cancer treatment. CTCA serves patients with advanced cancer from all 50 states at facilities located in suburban Chicago (IL), Philadelphia (PA), Tulsa (OK), and suburban Phoenix (AZ).

Related Links:
Cancer Treatment Centers of America