Top 10 Medical Innovations according to the Cleveland Clinic (9)

Specialists of the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, have compiled another annual list of innovations that, in their opinion, will have the greatest impact on the healthcare system in the coming 2015.

No. 9. Intraoperative radiotherapy in breast cancer therapy

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. At the same time, over the past decade, mortality from it has decreased by almost 20%. This is partly due to the fact that the tumor can be removed before it metastasizes to other organs.

For most women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, the best treatment option is lumpectomy or sectoral resection, unlike mastectomy, which consists in the complete removal of the breast and, if necessary, surrounding tissues.

After this procedure, in order to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence, the preserved part of the breast is usually subjected to external remote radiation therapy, performed five times a week for six weeks.

For various reasons, not all women manage to undergo a long course of radiotherapy, which, among other things, can have serious short- and long-term undesirable side effects.

A new achievement in the field of breast cancer radiotherapy is its use during surgery. At the same time, only the cavities remaining after the removal of tumors are exposed to high doses of radioactive radiation with the help of a special nozzle. It is for these regions that the highest risk of tumor recurrence is characteristic. At the same time, radiation does not damage nearby organs, including the lungs and heart.

The results of a large clinical study have shown that in the treatment of early stages of breast cancer, the effectiveness of targeted irradiation of the tumor bed during surgery is comparable to the effectiveness of postoperative irradiation of the entire breast. At the same time, the new approach gives significantly fewer side effects, significantly reduces financial and time costs, and also improves the quality of life of patients.

Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the Cleveland Clinic: Top 10 Innovations for 2015.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru11.12.2014