Tufts-New England Medical Center researchers are reporting that complications of seroma, the retaining of fluid in the breast, can occur from a procedure called brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is a breast cancer therapy performed during a lumpectomy that uses a catheter to insert a small balloon into the space where the tumor was removed and filling it with a radiation device that delivers high doses of radiation to the surrounding tissue. The complication that seems to be causing a problem is that a large number of breast cancer patients who undergo this procedure are developing fluid retention in the breast. Brachytherapy is used for a number of cancers, including prostate cancer. However, this report was specific to breast cancer patients.Note: The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional care. For medical emergencies, dial 911!
Brachytherapy: complications from breast cancer therapy
Tufts-New England Medical Center researchers are reporting that complications of seroma, the retaining of fluid in the breast, can occur from a procedure called brachytherapy. Brachytherapy is a breast cancer therapy performed during a lumpectomy that uses a catheter to insert a small balloon into the space where the tumor was removed and filling it with a radiation device that delivers high doses of radiation to the surrounding tissue. The complication that seems to be causing a problem is that a large number of breast cancer patients who undergo this procedure are developing fluid retention in the breast. Brachytherapy is used for a number of cancers, including prostate cancer. However, this report was specific to breast cancer patients.
