Radiology And You - Patient Testimonials

Living With Cancer
Targeted Radiation Therapies Offer Hope to Patients

Wanda Dorsey, Breast Cancer Survivor
Cancer has always been in the back of Wanda Dorsey’s mind. The 58-year-old Elm City resident has a strong family history of the disease, with nearly all of her mother’s seven siblings having some form of cancer during their lives. So she takes all the precautions — having annual physical exams and screening tests as recommended by her family physician, along with living a healthy, active lifestyle.

“What I didn’t expect was breast cancer,” explained Dorsey. “That’s a cancer that we have never had in the family, until I was diagnosed in March 2007.”

Dorsey, who enjoys her job, family, swimming and dancing, knew that she wanted a treatment that would be quick, relatively easy and put her “back into the groove of life.”

It was almost amazing that a radiologist found her small cancer. “We obviously have some talented radiologists here, as my tiny tumor was only a few millimeters—not much larger than a grain of sand.”

Due to the tumor’s small size, Dorsey was able to have a lumpectomy, a surgical procedure that removes the lump but spares the breast. After surgery, her physician recommended a newer type of radiation therapy called MammoSite® that would allow her to complete treatments within five days, instead of the typical course of six to seven weeks of radiation.

Wake Radiology Oncology Services in Cary is one of the few locations in the region offering this treatment. Dorsey met with Scott Sailer, MD, co-medical director of the facility and an expert in the field.

“Dr. Sailer explained the differences between standard radiation treatments and MammoSite,” said Dorsey. “I knew immediately that it was the best option for me.”

“Most patients who opt for a lumpectomy undergo radiation treatments afterwards to kill off any remaining cancerous cells and to help keep the cancer from coming back in the breast,” commented Dr. Sailer. “MammoSite offers patients a more convenient therapy, and early data suggests that it is as effective in treating early stage breast cancer as traditional radiation therapy.”

MammoSite uses advanced technology to directly deliver radiation inside the breast close to the tissue most at-risk for tumor recurrence. This type of radiation therapy, according to Dr. Sailer, is appropriate for patients who are older than 45 years of age; have a cancer less than three centimeters in size; have standard invasive ductal¹ cancer; and have no spread to the lymph nodes.

To direct the radiation to the site, a small balloon catheter is placed in the breast, adjacent to the lumpectomy site. During therapy, part of the catheter remains outside the breast. That part of the catheter connects to a computer-controlled machine that delivers a radiation seed to deliver the therapy, then is withdrawn after each treatment. After the five-day treatment, the catheter is removed. Most patients are able to go back to their normal activities almost immediately.

“Women need to be aware of their breast health, have regular clinical exams as recommended by their physician and always have a yearly mammogram after age 40,” recommended Dorsey. “Getting a mammogram is easy, is typically free through most insurance companies and, for women who are not insured, there are often clinics that offer them at low or no cost.”

“Diagnosing my cancer at an early stage made such a difference in the treatment and outcome. There are so many more treatment options today than even five years ago. I was able to return to my life and everything that I love thanks to early detection and advanced treatments.”

Dorsey follows up with annual mammograms and also had a BMRI (breast magnetic resonance imaging) so that her physicians could get a more detailed view of her other breast, which found no abnormalities. She also takes Arimidex®, a medication that helps reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

¹ Invasive ductal cancers develop in the milk ducts and represent about 75 percent of all breast cancer cases.
*MammoSite is a registered trademark of Cytyc Corporation.
Arimidex is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP