The therapy targets a small area of breast tissue with a high dose of radiation and reduces the standard treatment time from 21 days to only eight minutes.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for women battling breast cancer, Atrium Health Navicent has a treatment option that significantly reduces time at the hospital.
The treatment is called intra-operative radiation therapy. It is used to treat breast tissue after a lumpectomy, or the removal of a small tumor, with a higher dose of radiation than standard radiation therapy.
Because the therapy targets a small area of breast tissue in addition to the high dose of radiation, it reduces the standard treatment time from 21 days to only eight minutes.
According to Peyton Anderson Cancer Center Director and surgical oncologist, Dr. Paul Dale, Atrium Health Navicent is the only hospital in Middle Georgia to offer this kind of treatment.
“It’s allowing women who perhaps in the past had to have a mastectomy now can save their breast and do very, very well, and the results are just as good as having 21 days,” Dr. Dale said.
While the treatment is only available for women over the age of 65 right now, Dr. Dale hopes it will expand to more patients in the future.
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