Feature | Radiation Therapy | September 22, 2015

Three-dimensional device helps Arkansas breast surgeons shorten radiation therapy and improve cosmetic outcomes after surgery

Michael Cross, BioZorb, breast cancer, hypofractionated radiation therapy

Breast surgeon Michael Cross, M.D., will present three years of clinical research on BioZorb at the upcoming Breast Cancer Symposium.


September 22, 2015 — Breast cancer research conducted by two Fayetteville, Arkansas, medical groups highlights their success in pioneering use of an absorbable, three-dimensional marker used during treatment for breast cancer. Their cost analysis, to be presented at an international breast cancer conference this week, showed that by helping to shorten the course of radiation treatments, the surgical marker contributed to a 25 percent cost savings per patient.

Breast surgeon Michael Cross, M.D., of Breast Treatment Associates, and colleagues at Highlands Oncology Group compiled three years of data on use of the BioZorb marker from Focal Therapeutics as part of improvements in treating breast cancer. They concluded that this unique device assisted with the targeting of radiation treatments, which are usually needed after breast cancer surgery.

The surgeon sutures the marker directly to the area that needs radiation. With the marker providing greater confidence in targeting, the doctors said they were able to use shorter courses of radiation — an approach often referred to as hypofractionated therapy.

Hypofractionated radiation treatments typically can be given over three to five weeks, compared to the usual five to seven weeks required for standard radiation therapy.

Recent studies have indicated this shorter course of treatment significantly lowers treatment costs and is just as effective in overall survival rates and preventing cancer recurrence. It also has been shown to lower toxicity and improve patients' quality of life measures. 

The ability to provide radiation with equivalent success in a shorter timeframe is an important and growing trend around the world. However, adoption of these methods has previously been hindered by the difficulty in confidently defining the surgical site needing radiation.

The Fayetteville researchers' scientific poster, which will be presented at the 2015 Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, summarized prospective research and clinical experience with 109 patients over three years.

BioZorb is a small coil, inserted into the breast by the surgeon at the time of tumor removal. It holds six tiny clips arranged in a three-dimensional array. This 3-D array remains over time, while the coil holding the clips dissolves.

The marker helps clinicians visualize where the tumor was removed. It can also be used to help plan and target radiation treatments done after surgery, while marking the cancer site for follow-up mammograms and other imaging studies.

"This device helps us provide shorter courses of radiation, which means less travel and time commitment for patients and is therefore much more convenient for them," Cross said. "We are also seeing better cosmetic outcomes using this device. Because it provides a structure for the breast tissue during the healing process, it supports regrowth of healthy tissue and helps preserve the natural contour of the breast after surgery."

Arnold Smith, M.D., a radiation oncologist at Highlands Oncology Group who contributed to the research, said the marker "lets us clearly see where the surgeon removed the tumor, which is the spot with the greatest risk for cancer recurrence. This way, we can focus the radiation where it needs to be. That means more efficient treatment and better care for our patients."

Scott Jones, M.S., D.A.B.R, the medical physicist at Highlands Oncology, said the device makes it easier during radiation treatment to use more sophisticated "field in field planning." He said BioZorb also contributes to cost savings from a shorter course of radiation treatment by adding a level of confidence about the accuracy of where the radiation beam in each dose "fraction" should be aimed especially for partial breast or boost treatments.

"When you are delivering radiation with fewer fractions, you need to be sure you know exactly where the dose should be delivered, " he said. "What BioZorb allows us to do with more confidence is to delineate the breast region more accurately within the field, to contour the dose in three dimensions, and deliver each treatment very accurately." Jones is director of medical physics and dosimetry at Highlands Oncology Group. 

Cross and his colleagues were the first in the United States to make the surgical marker available to patients. Their research on its use is the most extensive to date.

For more information: www.breasttreatment.com


Related Content

Feature | Women's Health | Christine Murray

In breast cancer detection, speed and accuracy are more than clinical goals – they can significantly increase chances ...

Time June 17, 2025
arrow
News | PET Imaging

May 30, 2025 — GE HealthCare recently announced that the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) ...

Time May 30, 2025
arrow
News | Imaging Software Development

May 27, 2025 — DeepLook Medical, a company advancing medical imaging through visual enhancement technology, recently ...

Time May 28, 2025
arrow
News | Radiation Oncology

May 2, 2025 — GE HealthCare has announced an intended expansion of its radiation oncology portfolio as well as the ...

Time May 03, 2025
arrow
News | Mammography

April 29, 2025 — iCAD, a global provider of clinically proven AI-powered cancer detection solutions, has announced a ...

Time April 29, 2025
arrow
News | Radiology Education

April 21, 2025 — On June 20, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) will award Life Member status to ...

Time April 21, 2025
arrow
News | Radiology Business

April 16, 2025 — According to a new report, the U.S. Radiotherapy Market is projected to reach $2.49 billion by 2030 ...

Time April 17, 2025
arrow
News | ASTRO

March 14, 2025 — Another pivotal milestone in the nation’s fight against cancer recently took place with the ...

Time March 17, 2025
arrow
News | Artificial Intelligence

Dec. 2, 2024 — Lunit recently unveiled follow-up findings from the ScreenTrustCAD trial. This study, conducted at Capio ...

Time December 02, 2024
arrow
News | Computed Tomography (CT)

Royal Philips recently received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its detector-based ...

Time November 13, 2024
arrow
Subscribe Now