Breast Cancer Treatment – HDR Brachytherapy

HDR Brachytherapy for Breast Cancer

Radiation oncologists at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) utilize several different innovative, breast cancer treatment tools. One of these unique methods, High-Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy, delivers pellets of radiation directly to the tumor space following a lumpectomy. This internal radiation can reduce damage to surrounding breast tissue and providing quicker treatment.

Following your lumpectomy, the HDR brachytherapy catheters are implanted near the site of your lumpectomy. A highly sophisticated computer then delivers powerful, radioactive “seeds” to that site through the catheters. This allows us to avoid affecting the healthy, surrounding breast tissue, reducing your need for a mastectomy or external beam radiation.

MammoSite® is a less invasive form of brachytherapy that uses a single catheter to deliver a tiny, radioactive pellet to the lumpectomy cavity. The radiation destroys any remaining cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue during your breast cancer treatment.

Brachytherapy is a quicker way to give breast cancer radiation treatments. The entire treatment takes about five days instead of five to seven weeks. Also, the side effects of this form of breast cancer treatment may be reduced because brachytherapy does not cause irritation and burning to your skin that is sometimes associated with external radiation. The best way to determine if you are qualified for brachytherapy is to discuss it with your treatment team at CTCA.

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Breast Cancer