A study conducted by Inova Health System in Virginia reveals significant advancements in radiation treatment for breast cancer patients who have undergone breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy). The findings, which will be presented at the American Society of Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) annual meeting in Washington D.C., demonstrate an over 80% reduction in radiation Planning Target Volume (PTV) for patients treated with a combination of advanced therapies, including the VeraForm marker, Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI), and Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH).
The study involved 76 lumpectomy patients, all of whom received five sessions of external beam APBI coupled with DIBH following surgery. With a two-year follow-up, researchers observed that the substantial reduction in PTV did not compromise local cancer control, marking a pivotal development in minimizing radiation exposure while maintaining treatment efficacy.
“This study showed that applying the benefits of APBI using advanced target delineation with VeraForm and motion management allows us to treat less normal breast tissue, which reduces the overall radiation exposure for our patients,” said Dr. Ashish Chawla, Department Chair of Radiation Oncology at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute. He emphasized that the VeraForm marker improves the accuracy of tumor bed cavity delineation, which is essential for precisely targeting radiation volumes.
Dr. Shawna Willey, Director of Breast Surgical Oncology at Inova, echoed the importance of this advancement, stating, “Any time we can effectively reduce the amount of radiation a patient receives, that’s to the patient’s advantage. Excessive radiation can lead to side effects, and this study underscores the precision that VeraForm provides in accurately targeting the tumor bed while sparing healthy tissue.”
The study not only highlights the clinical benefits of APBI therapy but also underscores the collaborative efforts of the multidisciplinary team at Inova. “We are honored to have this abstract accepted by ASTRO and published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology,” said Joe Guido, Chief Executive Officer of Videra Surgical, the company behind the VeraForm marker. He emphasized that the technology is backed by clinical evidence aimed at reducing radiation volumes, a major advancement for patient care in breast cancer treatmen