Conventionally, after a lumpectomy to treat breast cancer, a patient goes through whole-breast radiation, which continues over six weeks. This lengthy procedure is necessary to allow the normal cells affected to heal and recover.
Now, however, there is an attractive alternative to whole-breast radiation treatment: targeted breast radiation, also known as brachytherapy. Brachytherapy uses radiation pellets to hone in on the affected region and amplify the necessary radiation dose just to that area while sparing the healthy tissue. This course of treatment is completed in only one week.
Dr. Rakesh Patel covers the approach and technology behind this breakthrough breast cancer treatment in this video. You’ll also see what a brachytherapy patient, Nancie, has to say about her experience. Also covered:
- Why more women are choosing brachytherapy treatment for breast cancer
- How brachytherapy works