Multilumen Radiation Balloon Applicator Reduces Treatment Time

The SenoRx Contura is a multilumen radiation balloon applicator for accelerated partial breast irradiation.
The radiation balloon uses vacuum to remove excess fluid and to adhere closely to often irregularly shaped lumpectomy cavities in order to deliver reportedly precise radiation dosing through multiple seed lumens. Treatment time is reduced to days versus weeks, and accurate, targeted radiation dosing decreases potential recurrence of cancer cells in the lumpectomy site, according to the manufacturer. The current standard of care for treatment of breast cancer following lumpectomy is whole breast radiation. This requires the patient to return to the radiology suite daily for five to eight weeks.
With Contura’s multilumen design, more accurate treatment is achieved, and whereas certain patients who are presently candidates for balloon therapy are excluded because of the location of the lesion relative to their breast size, SenoRx’s multilumen approach reportedly offers a solution to this problem.