Editor's Note: This is the third in a series of columns recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month running in each week's Health section throughout October.
Early stage breast cancer patients now have a more convenient, more effective option at beating the disease.
Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), delivers a concentrated treatment of radiation to cancerous tumors during surgery. This technique allows doctors to administer high doses of radiation to tumors without exposing nearby healthy organs to radiation. In select patients, a single dose of intraoperative radiation has been shown to have as much effect on the tumor as 16-30 daily radiation treatments.
Research has demonstrated radiation therapy is an essential component of cancer treatment; however, many patients do not have access to this critical treatment. In fact, recent studies suggest many women opt out of receiving breast-sparing surgery with radiation therapy due to time, distance or difficulty accessing radiation therapy centers.
Luckily, that's no longer the case for patients in and around Jefferson City.
"We're helping to bring advanced medicine to the community," said Dr. Jay Allen, radiation oncologist at Capital Region Medical Center's Goldschmidt Cancer Center. "This procedure gives local eligible breast cancer patients the chance to receive their entire radiation treatment in a single dose. This can dramatically reduce treatment time by eliminating a longer radiation course."
The procedure is completed during a planned surgery such as a lumpectomy to remove the tumor. In this case, the radiation oncologist is in the operating room working right alongside the surgeon.
"We are essentially able to expand our multidisciplinary approach to treating patients into the operating room," Allen said. "We have a highly collaborative spirit among our team of oncologists, surgeons and nurses; this is a shining example of the positive payoff when we are all working together for the benefit of our patients."
Capital Region is the only know site in the state that utilizes this technology which is reliant upon collaboration physicians.
Physicians at Capital Region and Goldschmidt Cancer Center take a team approach to caring for their patients. Their holistic approach to treating the whole person involves disciplines from across the medical spectrum including oncology, surgery, radiology and primary care with ongoing guidance and support from dedicated breast nurse navigators.
General surgeon Dr. Diane Light has worked in the operating room side-by-side with Allen to perform the procedure.
"This approach to treating breast cancer patients is incredibly cutting edge and patient focused," Light said. "Knowing that at the end of surgery, our patient has completed their radiation treatments is remarkable and advances the patient further on the path to getting their life back to normal."
Lindsay Huhman is the director of marketing/public relations for Capital Region Medical Center.
