Research and technology have come such a long way that women with early-stage breast cancer have choices beyond mastectomy and whole breast radiation. Doctors are now able to hone in on the exact cancer site and provide targeted treatment, often in a shorter period of time. One such treatment offered at Piedmont is partial breast irradiation or PBI. PBI is a type of radiation therapy that uses a balloon catheter implanted into the woman’s breast (lumpectomy site) to guide a radioactive source into the lumpectomy site. The radiation delivers treatment only to the tumor site while sparing the lungs, heart, and other surrounding tissue.
Candidates
Patients with early-stage breast cancer (Stage 0, 1, or 2), with limited or no lymph node involvement may be a candidate for PBI.
Benefits
- Administered on an outpatient basis. No hospital stay is required.
- Can get back to normal life sooner – just 5 days vs. 5-7 weeks.
- Proven to be well tolerated, with mild side effects for a short period of time.
- Delivers targeted radiation to the area where cancer is most likely to recur.
How it Works
After the breast cancer tumor is removed (lumpectomy), a small, soft balloon attached to a thin tube (catheter) is placed inside the lumpectomy cavity through a small incision in the breast. The balloon is inflated with saline solution to ensure a snug fit in the cavity. It remains inflated for the 5-day treatment. During treatment, a tiny source of radiation passes through the balloon delivering therapeutic radiation to the area surrounding the lumpectomy cavity in hopes of killing any cancer cells that may remain. Treatments, which typically happen twice a day (morning and afternoon) for five consecutive days for a total of 10 treatments, usually last less than 15 minutes. Upon completion of the treatment, the balloon catheter is removed.