New breast cancer treatments available at Noble Hospital

WESTFIELD, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - The comprehensive breast program at Noble Hospital provides women of all ages with a full range of treatment options for breast-related care.

Dr. Steven Schonholz, Medical Director of the Comprehensive Breast Program at Noble Hospital in Westfield, shared more about one specific treatment option, the lumpectomy.

Noble Hospital
115 West Silver Street
Westfield

For more information about the Comprehensive Breast Program call (413) 568-2811 or visit noblehospital.org .

Over the years there has been a shift regarding breast cancer and local therapy. For breast surgery it has shifted from mastectomy, or removal of the entire breast, to lumpectomy, which is merely removing the cancer with normal tissue surrounding it.

There has been a shift of removing all lymph nodes under the arm to check for cancer to only removing 1 to 3 nodes by targeting those lymph nodes that a cancer will go to first.

Now there is a shift from radiation to the entire breast for cancer to just a limited area to where the cancer was. This is known as accelerated partial breast irradiation also known as APBI.

What is accelerated partial breast irradiation?

Accelerated partial breast irradiation is defined as radiation doses given to the location of where the cancer was removed, also known as the lumpectomy site.

Rather than waiting for 1 month before radiation is given for whole breast it can be given several days after surgery. Instead of it taking 6 1/2 weeks, Monday through Friday traveling back and forth it is completed in 5 days, Monday through Friday for two 6-minute sessions a day separated by 6 hours

Who would be a candidate?

• A candidate would be someone with a tumor up to 2cm or 1 inch in size
• Someone 60 years or older, however it can be younger
• A tumor that is removed and has clear margins/edges
• No lymph nodes with cancer in them
• A tumor sensitive to estrogen

What starts the process?

The process starts with a person being diagnosed with a breast cancer, from a mammogram, ultrasound or a palpable mass.

The person is then seen in consultation by Dr. Schonholz at the Noble Comprehensive Breast Program in Westfield.

He will determine whether the person is a candidate or interested in breast conservation vs mastectomy and discuss whether there is an interest or the person is a candidate for APBI

An MRI is then ordered to evaluate both breasts for size of the tumor and to make sure there are no other findings in either breast.

The patient then has a consultation with a radiation oncologist who deals with both APBI and whole breast radiation.

Noble Hospital has teamed up with Hartford Hospital, who has been offering this option to women for the past 8 years.

To be seen and evaluated you can call the Comprehensive Breast Program at (413) 572-6070.