What to Know About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among women in the United States and Florida, and breast cancer became the most common type of cancer globally in 2021. One out of every eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime, with almost 300,00 new cases of invasive breast cancer and another 51,000 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer being diagnosed every year. But thankfully, these numbers are decreasing, thanks to early detection and screening, along with advances in treatment, such as MammoSite and Contura Brachytherapy treatment from Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology.
Tampa Bay MammoSite Therapy for Breast Cancer
MammoSite treatment for breast cancer, also known as Contura Brachytherapy or balloon catheter radiation, is a system that delivers internal radiation therapy to breast cancer patients after lumpectomy surgery. MammoSite targets only the part of the breast where the cancer was found. During this procedure, a small balloon is inserted on the end of a thin catheter tube into the empty space left by surgery. The balloon is filled with liquid saline and left in place during treatment. Through the catheter, tiny seeds containing a measured amount of radiation are put into the balloon twice a day for five days. The seeds are removed each time, and once treatment has ended the catheter and balloon are removed.
Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology was the first Tampa Bay cancer treatment center to offer MammoSite treatment to Florida breast cancer patients. While traditional radiation treatment after a lumpectomy can take as long as seven weeks, MammoSite treatment can be completed in as little as five days. No hospitalization is required, and patients report little or no discomfort during the treatment procedure.
Contact Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology today for more information about MammoSite treatment. Tampa Bay Radiation Oncology has multiple Florida facilities located in the Tampa Bay area in Tampa, FL and Brandon, FL.