FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Leisha Harris
205-599-4926
Leisha.harris@trinitymedicalonline.com
Trinity Medical Center First in Alabama to Offer a Single-Dose Radiation Treatment Alternative to Women with Early Breast Cancer
BIRMINGHAM, AL (August 10, 2011)
– Trinity Medical Center is the first hospital in Alabama, and one of only three in the Southeast, to acquire the INTRABEAM® System, a new radiation platform that is designed to replace as many as six and a half weeks of routine radiation therapy with a single 20- to 30- minute targeted radiation treatment.
This revolutionary system, which delivers a targeted, intraoperative radiation treatment directly to the tumor site after lumpectomy, was shown to be as effective as traditional radiation for certain women with early breast cancer.
"The INTRABEAM System is offering women with early breast cancer a new treatment option," says Trinity surgeon William A. Thompson, MD. "This exciting breakthrough means one day versus six weeks of treatment. And technically, it is more like one hour versus six weeks. Basically, the therapy is completed when the patient wakes up from anesthesia. For the patient, this is a huge benefit. They don’t have to keep coming back for treatment. And, it is cosmetically more appealing."
Unlike whole breast radiation treatment, which is administered five times per week for as many as six and a half weeks, the INTRABEAM System provides patients with a targeted single-dose radiation treatment delivered intraoperatively after removal of the tumor. Before the surgeon closes the incision, the INTRABEAM applicator tip is positioned in the area of the breast where the tumor was located. This ensures radiation delivery accuracy and minimizes geographical miss. The INTRABEAM radiation is applied for approximately 20-30 minutes, exposing the affected tissue in the tumor bed from the inside. The surgeon then removes the INTRABEAM applicator and closes the incision.
The INTRABEAM system was the only radiotherapy device used to deliver intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in the TARGIT-A clinical trial, the largest randomized clinical trial conducted for the treatment of breast cancer. The TARGIT-A trial was launched in 2000 and it enrolled 2,232 patients throughout 28 centers in nine countries. With up to 10-year follow-up data, the study results demonstrate the equivalency of single-dose targeted IORT in comparison to external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) based on local recurrence.
In addition to the convenience of a one-time treatment, the INTRABEAM system has been shown to provide additional benefits compared to traditional EBRT. These include less irritation of healthy breast tissues, minimized exposure to the chest cavity and underlying organs and fewer skin reactions, such as redness, rashes and irritation. There is also no treatment delay for patients who must also undergo chemotherapy as part of the breast cancer treatment compared to EBRT, which can require up to a one month delay in radiation treatment.
For women who do not qualify for INTRABEAM single-dose therapy they may still be eligible to receive INTRABEAM Boost treatment, which delivers a single dose of radiation directly to the tumor bed during surgery prior to the start of WBRT. This can reduce the total radiotherapy treatment regimen duration by as many as 5 – 8 days.
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About Trinity Medical Center
Trinity Medical Center is a tertiary care hospital serving residents of Birmingham and surrounding communities. The hospital offers programs and services in all medical and surgical areas. This includes oncology, cardiology, robotic surgery, orthopedics, neurology, women’s health, mental health, digestive diseases, geriatrics, physical medicine and rehab, sports medicine, cardiac and pulmonary rehab, and emergency care. The hospital’s medical staff includes more than 600 physicians representing 30 specialties and subspecialties.
About The INTRABEAM® System
INTRABEAM®, Carl Zeiss Meditec's ground breaking radiotherapy system, offers the least disruptive treatment method available to patients diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. The radiation dose of INTRABEAM® is administered to the tumor bed in the operating room immediately following the surgical excision of the tumor. The system utilizes a miniature X-ray source, a highly flexible support stand and a full range of radiation applicator options. INTRABEAM has the advantage of delivering a precise radiation-dose to the tumor site at the time of surgery minimizing geographical miss and the associated side effects with external beam radiation. Afterwards, the applicator and miniature X-ray source are removed, the surgical site is closed, and the procedure is complete. In 1999, INTRABEAM® received both FDA clearance and CE mark to deliver a prescribed dose of radiation to the treatment margin or tumor bed during intracavity or intraoperative radiotherapy treatments. The device is also cleared for use in most countries around the world. Please visit www.meditec.zeiss.com/intrabeam for more information.