A new treatment at Medical City Plano is reducing breast cancer treatment from eight weeks to eight minutes.
For early-stage breast cancer patients, the new procedure involves surgery and radiation using iCAD’s Xoft Electronic Brachytherapy System. The FDA-approved treatment uses a miniaturized x-ray to deliver a precise, concentrated dose of radiation to a tumor site directly after surgery, or lumpectomy. The radiation treats the remaining tumor that wasn’t removed during the surgery.
The treatment isn’t limited to breast cancer, but can be used for non-melanoma skin cancer and gynecological cancer as well. Worldwide, more than 10,000 patients have been successfully treated. Xoft says the treatment is cheaper, more convenient, and reduces exposure to radiation compared to traditional treatments.
In August, D CEO Healthcare wrote about UT Southwestern Medical Center’s single-dose radiation clinical trial. The treatment is called stereotactic partial breastal radiation (S-PBI) and is similar in that it is a high-dose form of radiation concentrated on the area of the tumor.
Scott Hammerling, a director of business development for iCAD Xoft, notes the differences between the two treatments. The S-BPI treatment is done after a pathology report has been done post-surgery, whereas Xoft’s treatment happens at the time of the lumpectomy while the patient is still under anesthesia. “The patient has the surgery, treatment, and doesn’t have to come back to the hospital,” he wrote via email.
“Bringing this revolutionary treatment to our community reinforces our commitment to offering patients superior care through leading-edge technologies,” says Charles Gressle, CEO at Medical City Plano, in a statement. “We are proud to be the first and only facility in our area to provide a precise treatment option with significant advantages for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, including shorter treatment times, fewer side effects, improved quality of life and overall better outcomes.”
