Technology Helps Better Target Breast Cancer Treatments
POSTED: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
UPDATED: 3:47 pm EDT June 26,
2008
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 180,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.Fortunately, significant technological advances in diagnoses and treatment are helping patients live longer and more fulfilling lives."These improvements are greatly helping patients with early stage breast cancer," said Dr. Marla Dudak.Dudak is working with a new test called Oncotype.The Oncotype test checks 22 different genes in a tumor to see which women may be at highest risk of having cancer recur in the future and whether or not treatment with chemotherapy will make a difference in their outcome."They found that those tumors with a high recurrence rate responded well to chemotherapy and those with a low recurrence rate responded poorly or not at all to chemotherapy," Dudak said.Early stage breast cancer patients are also benefiting from targeted radiation therapy with a device called Mammosite."A radiation seed is placed inside a balloon which is inserted in the breast after surgery," said Dr. Alex Mirakian, a radiation oncologist."The main advantage is the treatment can be delivered in one week versus five to six weeks with conventional radiation treatment and it doesn't affect the entire breast tissue," Mirakian said.After being diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago, Kathie Regan-Day is grateful that medical science is helping her get through treatment more quickly, and hopefully with greater success."I've got a new grandchild and I want to see him grow up," she said.To Reach Dr. Marla Dudak 561-482-8887To Reach Dr. Alex Mirakian 561-775-7075
Copyright 2008 by Local10.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
The nation's top law enforcement agency is looking to hire a few good men and women.
The remains of Jett
Travolta have been cremated and that his parents plan to return to
the United States from the Bahamas with the ashes on Tuesday.
Two South Florida brothers scheduled for sentencing on fraud and tax evasion charges packed a federal courtroom Tuesday with supporters to plead for mercy on their behalf.
A woman's relationship ends with her belongings thrown out of the house. Where does she go from here?
1/6/09 The brothers accused of using their company "Pharmed" to commit years of fraud plea for mercy inside federal court.
Almost two years after champion horse Barbaro died, there is hope that Barbaro's brother will keep his spirit alive. 
Local Jewish and Muslim organizations are unified when it comes to a call for peace between Israel and Palestine.
Police plan to crack down on underage drinking at Thursday's BCS National Championship game.
2/1/08 Police raided a Southwest Miami-Dade home and arrested a man accused of hooking up thousands of people with free satellite tv. Watch This Video
Whether you're working or playing, life can sap your energy. But the right foods can boost you back up.
Here are our choices for the fifty greatest songs of the 1980s.
One restaurant manager lists the 10 drinks a man should never order.
Cars on the Palmetto Expressway slowed down during the Friday morning commute because thousands of shoes were in the roadway.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
