Accelerated Partial Breast Radiotherapy
Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) uses precise radiation beams to kill cancerous cells in a smaller area of the breast (partial breast) versus the whole breast or chest area. Our doctors deliver the radiation in a shorter (accelerated) course of treatment over a few days instead of several weeks.
The benefits of APBI over other forms of radiation therapy may include:
- Shorter treatment time
- Minimized radiation exposure
- Less invasive procedures
- Greater success in saving healthy breast tissue
Our breast cancer radiation specialists often perform APBI after a lumpectomy to prevent cancer from returning to the breast. Our doctors may also provide APBI treatment after a mastectomy to prevent cancer from returning to the chest area or lymph nodes. APBI can also improve outcomes for women with advanced or metastatic breast cancer, especially when cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
We offer some of the most advanced methods of APBI treatment in the nation, including:
- 3-D conformal radiation therapy
- Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT)
Breast cancer is no longer considered a single disease by medical experts. There are several subtypes of breast cancer and each type has a unique behavior, requiring its own treatment approach.
Types of APBI
- A Gentle Touch Proves Its Power in New Breast Cancer Treatments
- 3-D conformal radiation therapy
We use 3-D imaging technology to pinpoint the exact size, shape, and location of a tumor. We then shape beams of radiation to match (or conform to) the shape of the tumor in order to deliver precisely targeted treatment.
3-D conformal radiation therapy also achieves strong results in preventing cancer recurrence when doctors perform it after breast surgery. Specialists can focus the radiation beam just on the part of the breast from which the tumor was removed, rather than the whole breast. Women who choose 3-D conformal radiation therapy can often shorten their radiation treatment time to twice a day over five days, instead of six weeks.
As with all radiation therapies, the goal of this approach is to shrink or eliminate a tumor while protecting the nearby healthy tissue and organs. We teach patients techniques to help protect healthy tissues, such as painless breathing techniques that pull the heart and lungs away from a breast tumor during radiation delivery.
Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT)
Radiation specialists deliver radiation during cancer surgery rather than as a separate procedure. After the surgeon performs a lumpectomy, a radiotherapist will use a linear accelerator in the operating room to focus a high dose of radiation where the lump was removed. This all-in-one approach makes further radiation treatment unnecessary. It also helps protect nearby organs such as the heart and lungs, as well as healthy breast tissue, from unwanted radiation exposure.
Side Effects of APBI
APBI is a safe and effective radiation treatment for breast cancer. As with any radiation procedure, accelerated partial breast radiation therapy may cause side effects, such as:
- Fatigue
- Swelling and heaviness in the breast
- A skin reaction, similar to a sunburn, in the treated area
- Sharp, shooting pain during radiation therapy performed after surgery
- Arm numbness or stiffness after lymph node surgery
Side effects may take two to three weeks to develop from the start of radiation therapy. Once the therapy is complete, side effects may lessen after three to four weeks. Most side effects are temporary or treatable.