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Technology Insight: MammoSite®—a new device for delivering brachytherapy following breast-conserving therapy

Nature Clinical Practice Oncology volume 4, pages 190–196 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The MammoSite® (Cytyc Corporation, Marlborough, MA) breast brachytherapy applicator was designed to overcome the logistic problems created by external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and the technical difficulties associated with multicatheter-based interstitial brachytherapy. The MammoSite® catheter has been shown to treat a volume of tissue equivalent to that treated by multicatheter-based brachytherapy. Using ultrasound guidance, the MammoSite® applicator can be placed using an open technique at the time of lumpectomy or post-lumpectomy. Initial results have shown favorable cosmesis and few significant side effects. NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413 randomizes patients between EBRT and partial-breast irradiation (PBI). The PBI arm consists of interstitial brachytherapy, MammoSite® brachytherapy, or 3D conformal EBRT. This trial has the potential to provide a definitive answer regarding the benefits of PBI for certain subgroups of patients, and hence lead to more women undergoing breast conservation therapy.

Key Points

  • The MammoSite® breast brachytherapy applicator was designed to simplify the brachytherapy procedure and make partial-breast irradiation more accessible

  • The MammoSite® catheter treats a volume of breast tissue comparable to that treated by multicatheter-based interstitial brachytherapy

  • The MammoSite® applicator can be placed at the time of lumpectomy or post-lumpectomy using ultrasound guidance

  • Initial results show that treatment with the MammoSite® applicator is well-tolerated and associated with favorable cosmetic results

  • The NSABP/RTOG trial has broad eligibility criteria compared with the selection criteria recommendations of the American Brachytherapy Society and American Society of Breast Surgeons for partial-breast irradiation

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Figure 1: MammoSite® brachytherapy device
Figure 2: Schema for NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413

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Author notes

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Women's Board Cancer Treatment Center, Rush University Medical Center, 500 South Paulina, Chicago, IL 60612, USA atd22_99@yahoo.com

Authors and Affiliations

  1. A Dickler is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.,

    Adam Dickler

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The author declared he is a clinical training faculty member for Cytyc Inc.

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Dickler, A. Technology Insight: MammoSite®—a new device for delivering brachytherapy following breast-conserving therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 4, 190–196 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0739

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