By STU JOHNSON
CREDIT UKNOW.UKY.EDU
Physicians at the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center are now using a therapy called Microseed radiation to treat patients with early-stage breast cancer. The therapy is similar to a medical procedure used to treat prostate cancer.
UK’s Markey Center is the first medical facility in the state to offer the Concure Oncology Microseed treatment. Traditional breast cancer radiation therapy involves daily treatments for three to six weeks. Assistant Professor of Radiation Medicine Dr. Mark Bernard said seeds are implanted following a breast lumpectomy. “It’s a one-time treatment where they come in and more or less inject radioactive seeds right around where the surgeon took out and it emits radiation slowly over time,” said Bernard.
UK Department of Radiation Medicine Chair Dr. Marc Randall said a small amount of radiation can leave the body. “It is extremely localized to the area of the implant. There would be a measurable amount of radiation coming out of the body but it would be measurable with very very sensitive materials, sensitive techniques and then that is always decaying. It’s always going down,” explained Randall.
Markey treats patients from all across Kentucky. Dr. Bernard noted the treatment may be appropriate for patients with stage zero to stage two breast cancer.
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