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Early results of a study presented at a meeting of the Society of Surgical Oncology
reveal that microwave heat may destroy breast cancer cells. The treatment may be helpful
for breast cancer patients planning to undergo lumpectomies
to remove their tumors since less breast tissue would need to be removed. According to
researchers, the microwave therapy heats and destroys cancer cells while leaving healthy
cells alone. Though further research is needed, these preliminary results provide hope
that eventually fewer women will need fewer surgeries to remove their breast cancer
tumors.
With the experimental microwave therapy, physicians apply heat to breast tissue to
destroy the cancer. Until recently, researchers have not been able to effectively kill
breast cancer cells without inadvertently harming healthy cells, limiting the use of
microwaves to the treatment of skin tumors. However, recent animal trials with microwave
treatment reveal no damage to tissue surrounding the tumors.
In the current study, lead researcher Hernan Vargas, MD, Chief of Surgical Oncology at
the University of California at Los Angeles Harbor Medical Center and colleagues treated
25 patients with Adaptive Phased Array (APA) microwave treatment prior to surgery. The
results showed that 24 of the 25 patients had no remaining cancer cells after the
microwave treatment.
The goal of microwave treatment is to eliminate the need for a second surgery after
lumpectomy. (A second surgery removes cancer cells missed during the first surgery).
According to researchers, one fourth to one half of patients who undergo lumpectomy
experience a recurrence of cancer which requires additional surgery. Radiation therapy can be used to reduce the chances of
a recurrence of cancer. In the present study, the 24 patients did not require a second
surgery after the initial microwave treatment and lumpectomy.
"While the preliminary results are not conclusive, we believe that, when the fully
randomized study is completed and analyzed, the data, will demonstrate the effectiveness
of this investigational treatment," said Dr Vargas, in a Celsion Corporation news
release. Celsion Corporation sponsored the clinical trial with their Adaptive Phased Array
microwave treatment technology. "If proven effective, this treatment would mark a
significant step forward in the treatment of breast cancer and breast conservation,"
said Dr. Vargas.
In the study, common side effects of the microwave treatment included pain, redness and
swelling. In one case, a woman experienced burns from the treatment as well as skin
necrosis (dead skin).
According to Celsion Corporation, the following sites are now running clinical trials
with microwave treatment technology: Harbor Medical Center, University of California at
Los Angeles; Columbia Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida; the University of Oklahoma,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Comprehensive Breast Center of Coral Springs, Coral Springs,
Florida; Mroz-Baier Breast Care Clinic, Memphis, Tennessee; Breast Care Specialists, P.C.,
Norfolk, Virginia and Pearl Place Breast Center, Tacoma, Wisconsin.
Women interested in participating in the clinical trials with microwave treatment
technology should contact Celsion at 800.262.0394 and ask for Celsion's Medical Director,
Dr. William Gannon. Currently, microwave treatment remains experimental and is not
performed outside of clinical trials.
Additional Resources and References
- The results reported in this article were presented at the Society of Surgical Oncology
meeting in March 2003: "Early Stage Breast Cancer: Are Nodal and Bone Marrow
Micrometastases Important?" by Armando E. Giuliano, MD and Michael P. Osborne, MD, http://www.surgonc.org/
- The March 10, 2003 Celsion Corporation news release, "Celsion Presents Preliminary
Breast Cancer Treatment Results at 56th Annual Cancer Symposium, Society of Surgical
Oncology," is available at www.celsion.com.
- To learn more about lumpectomy, please visit http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/lumpectomy.asp
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