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Accelerated Partial-Breast Irradiation (APBI)

ACCELERATED PARTIAL-BREAST IRRADIATION (APBI)

This therapy is for some women with early-stage breast cancer who undergo a lumpectomy to remove the cancer. Typically, radiation is given after the lumpectomy to lower the risk of a cancer recurrence, making it as effective as the woman undergoing a mastectomy.

Another type of radiation therapy is accelerated partial-breast irradiation. This therapy is for some women with early-stage breast cancer who undergo a lumpectomy to remove the cancer. Typically, radiation is given after the lumpectomy to lower the risk of a cancer recurrence, making it as effective as the woman undergoing a mastectomy.

This treatment delivers a higher dose of radiation to a smaller area of the breast in the area where the lumpectomy was done which reduces risk of damage to healthy tissue surrounding the breast like the heart and lungs. Treatments are given over a shorter period of time compared to traditional external beam radiation therapy.

There are different types of accelerated partial-breast irradiation.

Multi-Catheter Internal Radiation

Also called interstitial needle-catheter brachytherapy, this treatment uses radioactive seeds that are placed inside very small catheters which are stitched in to place under the skin. The seeds deliver radiation to the area where the cancer was removed. The treatment times can range from a few hours to a few days, and when completed, the catheters, seeds and stitches are removed.

Balloon Internal Radiation

This treatment places a tube with a balloon at one end in the breast at the site where the cancer was removed. The tube and balloon can be placed during the lumpectomy or in a surgeon’s office afterward.

During each treatment, a radioactive seed is placed into the center of the balloon. The treatment lasts for 5 to 10 minutes, long enough to deliver the required dose of radiation. It is done twice a day for 5 days. Once treatments are completed, the tube and balloon are removed through a small hole in the skin.

3D Conformal External Beam Radiation

This treatment delivers radiation to a small treatment area that matches or conforms to the area with cancer. Information from a CT scan or MRI of the breast is used to map a treatment field for the area at risk. Radiation beams from different directions are delivered to the treatment field. Focusing the radiation on this precise area helps to reduce damage to normal tissues that can be caused by radiation.