October 28, 2010 – An initial feasibility study has demonstrated the ability to use cesium-131 (Cs-131) brachytherapy seeds in accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) for breast cancer treatment. The study looked at IsoRay’s patented therapy for treating early stage, localized breast cancer.
Using a third-party device cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), IsoRay conducted several studies to evaluate the Cs-131 internal radiation therapy in APBI treatment. The initial studies showed it to be a viable alternative to high dose rate radiation.
APBI is an emerging radiation treatment used with breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) that obtains the highest possible rate of breast cancer control while offering minimal cosmetic impact. It delivers radiation treatment directly around the lumpectomy site, where most cancers are likely to reoccur. Without APBI, women who have a lumpectomy undergo up to six weeks of radiation treatment for the entire affected breast following surgery. A substantial part of the body is exposed to radiation and the breast can be left deformed.
Doctors can vigorously treat a variety of cancers while limiting the damage to healthy surrounding tissues.
"We believe this new application of Cesium-131 will have a significant impact on breast cancer and improve the quality of life for many women who are struggling with this devastating disease,” said Dwight Babcock, CEO of IsoRay. “It is extremely fitting that we are able to reveal this important development during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have high expectations for the treatment's availability in 2011.”
With established CMS codes, Cs-131 is FDA-cleared for use in the treatment of cancers throughout the body including breast cancer. More than 100 centers across the country are using it to treat brain, colon, head and neck, lung, ocular melanoma and prostate cancers.
For more information: www.isoray.com
May 03, 2025 
