UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found in a recent phase one clinical trial that stereotactic partial breast radiation was as safe as traditional radiation but decreased treatment time from six weeks to just days.

UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only site in Texas and one of a few in the world to offer stereotactic partial breast radiation treatment to early–stage breast cancer patients.

“Standard breast cancer treatments are delivered daily to the entire breast area over three to six weeks. We sought to deliver partial breast radiation in a noninvasive way, using precise image–guided stereotactic radiation,” said Dr. Asal Rahimi, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and first author of the study. “Our trial decreased treatment time to just five treatments delivered every other day.”

Seventy–five patients were studied from 2010–2016, in whom stereotactic partial breast radiation demonstrated both outstanding tumor control and excellent cosmetic results. Patients in the trial had been recently diagnosed with early–stage breast cancer.

The study was published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics and was funded by a grant from Accuray, producers of the Cyberknife used to deliver stereotactic partial breast radiation.

The researchers plan continued studies of the partial breast radiation technique.

“As technology improves, we will detect more early–stage breast cancers.” said Dr. Robert Timmerman, Professor of Radiation Oncology and senior author on the study. “Patients with these early cancers might particularly benefit from a local therapy approach that both minimizes the normal tissue exposure while improving the convenience for patients who already lead hectic lives.”