Think Pinker

According to ABC there’s a new therapeutic radiation treatment for early stage breast cancer called accelerated partial breast irradiation. What’s so special about this radiation treatment that sets it apart from other radiation treatments?

What’s key here is that the treatment targets just the tumor rather than the entire breast. This option means it’s less invasive to the patient.

A diagnosis of breast cancer is hard enough, add that to the aggressive treatments that have been used up until now and it’s a very stressful situation.

Previously with an early diagnosis of breast cancer the patient would have a lumpectomy and then have radiation treatment for two or three months following that.

But this new radiation treatment is going to offer an alternative treatment. Instead of having external radiation you could opt for radioactive material being inserted in the breast directed to the tumor area.

First the would fill a balloon with saline so they could inflate it in the are where the tumor cavity is. Remember the tumor has been removed. Then they would float a radioactive pellet which had been calculate to kill any cancer cells the remained the walls of the cavity area.

Giving radiation from the inside out makes a lot more sense than from the outside in and this new targeted method ensure the radiation reaches the areas it needs to reach. Radiating a small amount of tissue is fast.

For women around the world this advancement means that once they’ve recovered from the actual surgery they can get back to work, and it means you can get back to the business of living a lot quicker.