Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for breast cancer is generating headlines this week, but it's not really welcome attention for one of the developers of the technology, according to an article we're featuring in our Radiation Oncology Digital Community.
The story began earlier this year, when a hospital that had implemented a new breast IORT treatment program using electronic brachytherapy reported that tungsten particles had been left behind in the breasts of women who received the treatment. The device involves the delivery of radiation via brachytherapy to the breast immediately after a lumpectomy, which can be more convenient for patients than other forms of radiation therapy.
The hospital has filed adverse event reports with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the technology's manufacturer is investigating to see if more than one site has experienced the problem. At least one patient involved has filed a lawsuit. Learn more by clicking here.
In other radiation oncology news, Canada has a reputation (at least in the U.S.) as a country where patients experience long waits for imaging procedures. But a new survey released this week shows that wait times are within guidelines for radiation therapy procedures. Read the story by clicking here, or visit the community at radiation.auntminnie.com.
Do CT calcium scores change lifestyles?
In other news, a new study published this week suggests that coronary calcium CT scores may spur lifestyle changes in individuals.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute found that patients who got CT scans for coronary calcium and who knew their coronary calcium scores had lower cardiac risk scores four years later, compared with patients who didn't get scanned.
But how significant were the lifestyle changes, and was the difference enough to warrant sending patients to receive CT studies? Learn more by clicking here, or visit the CT Digital Community at ct.auntminnie.com.
