[ad_1]
A pioneering physician in Kelowna, BC, has been very successful with a new type of breast cancer treatment and wants to see its expanded use.
The BC Cancer Agency sees Dr. Juanita Crook as one of the leading experts in the field of brachytherapy, a relatively new method of treating cancer in which doctors implant tiny seeds of radioactive material into the breast tissue on the breast. cancer site.
Crook has been using therapy since 2012. She explained that this method is less painful for patients but gives results comparable to those of a standard radiotherapy.
"It works very well because it's very compliant, it's very central," Crook said. South daybreak host Chris Walker.
"It's very well received because the standard treatment is to stay away from home for three and a half to five weeks, we have a very large catchment area in Kelowna, and some women can not even go home. they weekend. "
Dr. Juanita Crook is a recognized cancer expert in British Columbia. and also teaches on the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia. (University of British Columbia Okanagan)
Standard radiotherapy, she said, involves emitting external radiation on the entire breast.
Brachytherapy, she explained, may be a more focused and specific approach to treatment, and she believes this treatment can be extended to other parts of the province.
Emerging data
According to Crook, brachytherapy has been used for about 20 years to treat prostate and gynecological cancers, but its use in breast cancer was developed in Ontario about 15 years ago.
Brachytherapy, however, has limitations. It is only suitable for early stage and localized cancers that do not involve lymph nodes. Appropriate tumors must be accessible via a skin surface or mucosal surface, she said.
Crook thinks the treatment should be more widely used. So far, in British Columbia, it is only available in Kelowna on a regular basis, but has also been used in Victoria. She hopes the treatment can spread to Vancouver, but says funding and training for doctors remain obstacles.
The BC Cancer Agency states that data on the effectiveness of brachytherapy are only beginning to be published.
"Cancer in BC is an evidence-based organization and continues to improve and evolve based on evidence and best practices," wrote a spokesperson in an email. .
The spokesman said it was difficult to know how many breast cancer patients could benefit from brachytherapy. He added that this could potentially reduce by a quarter the radiation currently used in treatment.
Listen to the full interview:
With CBC Radio One Daybreak South Files
Source link
