SINGLE DOSE: Dr Ho Gay Hui (right) performing intra-operative radiotherapy, in which a single dose of radiotherapy is delivered to the tumour in the breast for 30 to 40 minutes.
SOME early-stage cancer patients may opt for a new treatment that spares them from losing a breast.
A new treatment known as intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) is now available at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS).
Selected women with early-stage breast cancer may be offered this alternative when they undergo lumpectomy or breast-conserving surgery. A single dose of radiotherapy, lasting 30 to 40 minutes, is delivered only to the tumour site in the breast during surgery.
In contrast, conventional treatment comprises 30 sessions of radiotherapy delivered to the whole breast over five days a week for six weeks. The long duration of conventional treatment has led some patients to choose mastectomy, even though they may find it hard to cope psychologically with the loss of a breast.
The single session of IORT offers the same survival outcome as conventional radiotherapy. Dr Ho Gay Hui, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, NCCS, said the partial radiation delivered by IORT spares patient’s normal tissues.
“These tissues may include the skin of the breast, the remaining breast tissue, underlying ribs, the lung and the heart,” she said.
However, Dr Ho said IORT is not suitable for all breast cancer patients.
“It is particularly good for those diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage. This reinforces the need for women aged 40 and above to go for regular mammography screening.”
On average, 1,560 women in Singapore were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2006 and 2010, making it the most common cancer among women.
The first IORT procedure was carried out in June 2012 by Dr Ong Kong Wee, Consultant Surgeon, Surgical Oncology, NCCS, and Dr Wong Fuh Yong, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, Radiation Oncology, NCCS.
Since then, NCCS has treated at least eight more patients with the technique.
All of them coped well with the radiation and experienced minimal side effects. NCCS will be conducting clinical trials in the future to extend the use of IORT to a larger group of breast cancer patients.
• This story was first published in Singapore Health, Jan/Feb 2013.