December 5, 2007 - The Cianna Medical SAVI applicator, an advanced treatment for breast cancer, provides multiple benefits for patients, breast surgeons, and radiation oncologists, according to research performed at the Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center and presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
The research was headed by Catheryn Yashar, M.D., Assistant Professor and Chief of Breast and Gynecological Services in the UCSD Department of Radiation Oncology.
An advancement in breast conservation therapy (lumpectomy plus radiation), the SAVI applicator is a single-entry, multi-catheter device that delivers partial breast irradiation. SAVI reduces the course of treatment time from six weeks to just five days. Its unique design may expand the benefits of breast conservation therapy to a larger group of women.
Dr. Yashar and her colleagues reported that treatment with the applicator is effective in multiple ways:
- SAVI is simple to insert, using local anesthesia and ultrasound guidance.
- The applicator provides excellent coverage of the tumor bed.
- SAVI makes it possible to conform the radiation dosage to the targeted area, offering better protection to healthy structures such as the skin, chest wall, and lungs.
- Daily quality assurance can be done with scout films (ordinary X-rays) rather than CT scans, which substantially reduces the patient’s exposure to radiation and is more convenient.
-The applicator rarely moves between treatments, which means the original treatment plan remains valid throughout the course of treatment. The fact that SAVI stays in place after insertion is also the reason CT scans are not needed for quality assurance.
-SAVI is nearly painless to remove after treatment is concluded, so no anesthesia is needed.
-The treatment is well-tolerated by patients.
-SAVI has produced outstanding early cosmetic results.
For more information: www.ciannamedical.com
October 30, 2026 
