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First Facility on Long Island to Offer the SAVI™ Applicator

Advanced Radiation Centers of New York (ARC) is the first facility on Long Island to offer a more advanced, five-day course of radiation treatment for earlystage breast cancer. The sophisticated new SAVI™ radiation treatment enables ARC to offer the benefits of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) to a larger group of women than ever before.

APBI is a short, five-day course of radiation therapy given after a lumpectomy. SAVI delivers a form of APBI known as breast brachytherapy, which targets the tumor site from inside the breast. It is the only single-entry device that contours the radiation dose specifically to the patient’s individual anatomy.

“Our facilities are committed to delivering state-of-of-the art radiation therapy,” said Shawn Zimberg, M.D., radiation oncologist and medical director of ARC. “The SAVI applicator's ability to precisely direct radiation therapy is a major improvement over any other breast brachytherapy device, and expands the number of women who can benefit from APBI.”

Breast brachytherapy typically involves two treatments per day for only five days. This approach is much more convenient than traditional, external-beam radiation treatment, which takes six to seven weeks, five days a week.

“The ability to complete radiation treatment in just five days is such a comfort to women, we want to be able to offer this faster course of therapy to as many patients as possible,” commented breast surgeon Dwight DeRisi, M.D., of Long Island Breast Care who placed the SAVI applicator in this first Long Island patient. “SAVI allows us to do this, because it can treat all women who are candidates for balloon brachytherapy – and more.”

SAVI also minimizes radiation exposure of healthy tissue. This reduces the risk of exposing critical body structures such as the skin, heart, and lungs to radiation.

The SAVI applicator’s multi-catheter design overcomes the limitations of older brachytherapy techniques, such as balloon brachytherapy. The balloon distributes radiation using only one catheter, which limits the number of women who are candidates for APBI. The superior dose control provided by SAVI enables women with small lumpectomy cavities or cavities close to the skin – who would be ineligible for treatment with the balloon – to safely receive breast
brachytherapy.

“Patients want a shorter treatment with fewer side effects, and SAVI makes that possible,” said ARC radiation oncologist Niti Dube, M.D. “Since there is so much more flexibility in our treatment parameters, we haven’t seen a patient who is a candidate for APBI that couldn’t be treated with SAVI. There’s just no reason to use a single catheter device
anymore.”

Breast brachytherapy is used as part of breast-conservation therapy, which includes lumpectomy – the surgical removal of the cancerous tissue within the breast plus tissue immediately around the tumor – followed by radiation. This approach is an alternative to mastectomy, which removes the breast and is often followed by breast reconstruction.

The SAVI procedure now offered by Advanced Radiation Centers of New York is designed to make the benefits of breast-conservation therapy and brachytherapy available to more women. It was developed by Cianna Medical, Inc., a women's health company dedicated to the early treatment of breast cancer.

About Advanced Radiation Centers of New York

Advanced Radiation Centers of New York is the largest freestanding radiation oncology practice in New York, with facilities in Long Island, Rockland and Westchester counties. In addition to its commitment to compassionate care and unparalleled experience, ARC is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art technologies and treatment with physicians that have the highest level of experience and expertise in the treatment of all forms of cancer.

About Long Island Breast Care

Long Island Breast Care provides dedicated, expert and compassionate care to both women and men with diseases of the breast. In addition to cutting edge, quality breast care, the center also offers services like breast cancer prevention planning, education, nutritional guidance, and psychosocial support services.

Source:  http://www.ciannamedical.com