Precision Radiotherapy to Cure Breast Cancer

Grant Application

Primary Investigator: Parul Barry, MD, FACRO
Co-Investigator: Ravi Patel, MD, PhD

Proposed Innovation

One in eight American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Currently, the standard treatment for early-stage breast cancer is conservative breast surgery followed by 3 to 7 weeks of daily radiation to the entire breast. This treatment requires a time commitment that can be burdensome for patients. It also can lead to significant skin and normal tissue side effects due to the large volume of breast being irradiated.

This project involves the use of precision medicine to deliver high-dose, targeted radiation therapy — or preoperative partial breast radiation — directed at the breast cancer prior to surgery. The goal is to reduce the treatment time, toxicity, and financial costs for patients through a very short and directed course of radiation.

Improvements in Action

Through this project, 24 breast cancer patients will be enrolled in a study to analyze the effectiveness of a short course of high-dose radiation treatments delivered before surgery. Radiation will be delivered in five quick and easy treatments targeted precisely at the cancer itself. Overall, the normal tissue will see less radiation as the target area is smaller than with postoperative radiation to the breast.

Biomarker assessments and breast MRIs performed prior to and after radiotherapy will be used to determine the impact of treatment on resultant tumor response.

Intended Outcomes

Researchers believe that delivering a shortened course of high-dose radiation before surgery will improve patient compliance by reducing the negative impact and overall burden of treatment on them. Ultimately this will result in higher cure rates and longer life expectancies. They also anticipate that these preoperative partial breast radiation treatments will harness the immune system to effectively fight-off early-stage breast cancer.