Radiotherapy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Radiotherapy, including details on cancer treatment, side effects.

Technology insight: MammoSite--a new device for delivering brachytherapy following breast-conserving therapy.

Dickler A

Department of Radiation Oncology, Women's Board Cancer Treatment Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. atd22_99@yahoo.com

The MammoSite (Cytyc Corporation, Marlborough, MA) breast brachytherapy applicator was designed to overcome the logistic problems created by external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and the technical difficulties associated with multicatheter-based interstitial brachytherapy. The MammoSite catheter has been shown to treat a volume of tissue equivalent to that treated by multicatheter-based brachytherapy. Using ultrasound guidance, the MammoSite applicator can be placed using an open technique at the time of lumpectomy or post-lumpectomy. Initial results have shown favorable cosmesis and few significant side effects. NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413 randomizes patients between EBRT and partial-breast irradiation (PBI). The PBI arm consists of interstitial brachytherapy, MammoSite brachytherapy, or 3D conformal EBRT. This trial has the potential to provide a definitive answer regarding the benefits of PBI for certain subgroups of patients, and hence lead to more women undergoing breast conservation therapy.

Published 28 February 2007 in Nat Clin Pract Oncol, 4(3): 190-6.
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