Clinical studies of the MammoSite® Radiation Therapy System have shown it to be well tolerated, with mild side effects that generally last for a short period of time.5
Side effects that occurred most frequently include redness, bruising and breast pain. These did not occur in all patients.
These are all common side effects of breast surgery and/or radiation therapy and usually go away after a short time.
Occasionally, there is also drainage that occurs from the catheter insertion site, which is normal; this should also go away after a short time.
Even qualified candidates may not complete the 5-day treatment due to varying clinical conditions. In that event, you need to consult your physician about alternate treatments. You should talk to your doctor about all the risks and benefits of your treatment.
Carmen, Phoenix, AZ
“The fact that I would be done with the radiation in five days was key for me—fatigue-free and stress-free.”
Video Transcript:
The patients who are undergoing MammoSite radiation therapy have a catheter in their breast for at least a week. And usually they have it over a weekend. I tell the patient that she is going to feel a ball at the lumpectomy site, and that’s normal. But it doesn’t feel heavy or painful while it’s in there. Where the catheter comes out of the breast is secured with a bandage, so it’s not flopping around. And I personally tell the patients that if she puts a gauze on her breast and wears her surgical bra day and night, then she won’t really even be aware that the catheter is there. So it’s not uncomfortable.
My patients have not complained that the catheter is inconvenient, painful, uncomfortable. Most of the complaints, not even complaints, comments that I have is that when they come back for their one week follow up that she tells me that I was really nervous to have this catheter removed and I even took a pain pill, but it was out before I even realized that anything was being done.
Video Transcript:
You know, I think in my practice experience, there’s probably been a 99% patient satisfaction. I’ve had the fortune of having women who have been treated with conventional whole breast radiation that have come back with a second primary in the contra-lateral breast and they themselves say gosh I wish this was here 10 years ago.
Physician Experience
Dr. Louis Munoz, radiation oncologist, talks about his experience offering MammoSite Therapy as a treatment option for patients.
Video Transcript:
In my clinical experience, we’ve developed this technique or started the technique in 2003. Initially, there was some adoption and some patients presented for this option and there was agreement. Over time, there’s been a tremendous migration to this because patients are becoming more and more aware. There’s general awareness in this option. And so when the patient compares five days versus 33 days, that certainly can influence a decision. Equally, if we look at a toxicity profile, a side effect profile, you have a limited side effect versus a whole breast side effect that may remove a barrier that a patient has for radiation therapy. So I think there is increasing acceptance not only in the medical community, but the general community itself.
Dr. Alison Laidley: What patients experience with MammoSite