From an interview with
Dr. Virginia Clyburn-Ipock
McLeod Regional Medical Center Radiation Oncology

Radiation Therapy has found many uses for helping breast cancer patients – from ensuring no cancer cells remain after a lumpectomy to helping women with stage four breast cancer.

RADIATION & LUMPECTOMY
Radiation therapy has a pivotal role in treating women who have undergone a lumpectomy.

Women diagnosed with breast cancer generally have a choice. They can either undergo a lumpectomy, which just removes the portion of the breast where the tumor was found, or they can undergo a mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast.

“When a woman undergoes a lumpectomy, there is about a 15% to 30% risk that the tumor can recur in that breast,” says McLeod Radiation Oncologist Dr. Virginia Clyburn-Ipock. “Even in the best case scenario, with a very skilled surgeon, there is still a risk of recurrence. Microscopic cells that are left within the breast may not be detected. So radiation is utilized to eradicate those cancer cells and significantly decrease the risk of a recurrence.”

FEWER RADIATION SESSIONS
Traditionally, the post-lumpectomy radiation would be delivered, five days a week for 5 to 6 weeks.

“Two clinical trials showed no increased risk of recurrence in the women that received a shorter course of radiation,” says Dr. Clyburn-Ipock. “Now, many women, who have early stage breast cancer, can actually be treated with this technique called hypofractionated radiation therapy. We shorten the length of radiation treatment down to 3 to 4 weeks, making it more convenient for patients.”

RADIATION HELP FOR STAGE 4 CANCER
For women with stage four disease, radiation was traditionally used in a palliative sense. We would treat to alleviate pain or symptoms. Over the last year, much data has been published, looking at radiation’s role in a women with stage four disease, where a woman’s breast cancer has spread, but still only to five sites or less.  On these women, a technique called SBRT, or stereotactic body radiotherapy, was used. SBRT delivers high dose radiation to those areas in, generally 5 treatments. The data is very promising. These women are showing increased overall survival.

ACTION YOU CAN TAKE
If you are a woman over age 40 be sure to have your annual mammogram. And, follow up with your personal physician and specialists if any abnormalities are detected.

Have a question? Ask a Cancer Specialist.