Electronic Brachytherapy (eBx®) uses a miniaturized X-ray tube to apply radiation directly to the tumor site. The goal is to deliver the radiation directly to the cancerous site, so the patient receives less radiation to critical organs and healthy tissue.
Two types of eBx® treatment for Breast Cancer:
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) is a technique where radiation is given in a single radiation dose at the time of lumpectomy surgery. Immediately after the tumor is removed, a small, inflatable balloon is placed into the breast cavity. Radiation therapy utilizing the Xoft®Electronic Brachytherapy System® is then delivered. The procedure is quick and efficient, taking as little as eight minutes during surgery. Once the radiation therapy is finished, the doctor removes the balloon, closes the tumor cavity, and your treatment is complete.
Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) is delivered after surgery. It differs from external beam radiation therapy in two main ways. First, it reduces the treatment area from the entire breast to a confined area of the breast where the tumor was removed. The tissue surrounding the tumor site is the part of the breast where most cancers are likely to recur. Second, it reduces the treatment time from seven weeks to five days. Since the duration of treatment is shorter, radiation is delivered in fewer sessions at larger doses.
Advantages of Xoft® Electronic Brachytherapy System®:
Shorter treatment schedule eliminates travel time to and from the treatment center allowing patients the freedom to return back to their daily lives
Delivers radiation directly to the cancerous site
Less radiation is delivered to surrounding healthy organs and tissue*
With IORT, reconstruction can be completed during your surgery
References
*Dickler, et al. "A Dosimetric comparison of MammoSite high dose rate brachytherapy and Xoft Axxent electronic brachytherapy," Brachytherapy(6) 2007, 164–168. "A Dosimetric comparison of Xoft Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy and Ir-192 HDR brachytherapy in the treatment of endometrial cancer," Brachytherapy (7) 2008, 154.
eBx® for Early Stage Breast Cancer
Breast brachytherapy using the Xoft® System is a form of electronic brachytherapy (eBx®) designed to simplify radiation treatment for early stage breast cancer patients using Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) or Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI).
IORT
IORT is a form of brachytherapy where radiation is delivered within the surgical cavity. Breast IORT is a radiation treatment delivered as a single radiation dose at the time of breast conserving surgery (lumpectomy). During IORT, a balloon and miniature x-ray source are temporarily placed inside the surgical cavity to deliver prescribed, targeted radiation directly to the site where cancer is most likely to reoccur.
IORT
Is IORT Right for Me?
IORT is not right for everyone. A discussion with your surgeon about Breast IORT, as well as other treatment options, is necessary to determine if you are a candidate. Some of the advantages of IORT for early stage breast cancer are:
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy at the time of surgery avoids the need for 6 to 7 weeks of post-operative External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT). For you, this means less travel, fewer days off work, fewer appointments, and less emotional stress.
Radiotherapy is delivered directly to the tumor bed, the part of the breast at highest risk of recurrence. If reconstruction is a consideration it can be completed during your surgery.
Less radiation is delivered to surrounding healthy organs and tissue. This minimizes exposure to adjacent healthy tissue and organs, such as the ribs, lungs, and heart.
Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) is another form of electronic brachytherapy that delivers radiation directly to the tumor bed, the part of the breast at highest risk for recurrence. Similar to conventional external radiation treatment, APBI is used as follow-up treatment to surgery. While conventional external beam radiation treatment requires five to seven weeks of daily treatment, APBI offers radiation in just ten treatments over the course of five days.
See patient brochure for a step-by-step treatment guide and additional important information.
eBx® for Skin Cancer
One in five people will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives, with more than three million cases in over two million people diagnosed annually in the U.S. Most patients are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of NMSC, while squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form. The majority of lesions are located on sun-exposed areas like the face, back of hands and neck. According to the NCCN guidelines3, radiation therapy is a primary treatment option for NMSC, or a secondary option in case of positive margins post-surgery.
The Xoft® Electronic Brachytherapy (eBx®) System® provides a non-surgical treatment option for non-melanoma skin cancer. Unlike alternative brachytherapy procedures, which use radioactive isotopes, the Xoft System utilizes an isotope-free miniature X-ray source. The X-ray source delivers high dose radiation to the target area. Xoft eBx® can be delivered in a minimally shielded environment allowing the physician to remain in the room throughout treatment.
During Xoft eBx®, a small, lightweight surface applicator is placed directly on the target lesion where the radiation is to be delivered.
Courtesy of Ajay Bhatnagar, MD, Cancer Treatment Services, Arizona
Surgical excision is the most common skin cancer treatment, but in certain patients, primary or postoperative radiotherapy can be an ideal alternative, with good to excellent cosmetic4 results.
Xoft eBx® provides an additional treatment option for skin cancer with a variety of benefits including:
targeted treatment resulting in good to excellent cosmesis4
painless treatment using a small, lightweight applicator
Bhatnagar A, Brachytherapy. 2013 Jan 9. pii: S1538-4721(12)00236-X. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2012.08.003.
eBx® for Endometrial Cancer
The Xoft® Electronic Brachytherapy System® is designed to simplify the radiation therapy process and make it more accessible to patients who are suitable candidates for vaginal brachytherapy. eBx® delivers a targeted prescribed dose of radiation directly to the site where cancer recurrence is most likely, minimizing exposure to healthy tissue such as the bladder and rectum.
