2.
Brachytherapy,
also
known
as
sealed
source
radiotherapy
or
endocurietherapy,
is
a
form
of
radiotherapy
where
a
radioactive
source
is
placed
inside
or
next
to
the
area
requiring
treatment.
Brachytherapy
is
commonly
used
to
treat
localized
prostate
cancer,
cervical
cancer
and
cancers
of
the
head
and
neck.
The
preferred
treatment
for
early
stage
breast
cancer
is
surgical
removal
of
the
cancerous
lump
(lumpectomy)
followed
by
radiation
therapy
to
the
breast;
radiation
therapy
following
this
eliminates
the
invisibly
small
deposits
of
cancer
that
can
remain
in
the
breast
after
lumpectomy.
Radiation
treatments
are
given
to
kill
off
any
possible
remaining
cancer
cells
in
the
breast.
Radiation
is
done
to
help
prevent
a
recurrence,
or
return,
of
breast
cancer
and
can
be
given
with
external
or
internal
radiation.
External
beam
radiation,
also
called
whole-‐breast
irradiation
(WBI),
treats
the
whole
breast
from
the
outside,
by
aiming
highly
penetrating
x-‐
rays
at
your
tumor
cavity.
External
beam
radiation
begins
four
to
six
weeks
after
surgery.
Patients
receive
one
treatment
a
day
for
six
to
seven
weeks.
It
is
very
successful
in
preventing
recurrence
of
cancer
in
the
breast,
but
many
women
find
the
long
duration
of
treatment
to
be
burdensome.
Breast
brachytherapy
is
a
5-‐day
radiation
therapy
alternative
for
women
with
early
stage
breast
cancer.
External
beam
radiation
therapy
is
safe
and
very
effective,
but
can
take
over
six
weeks
of
daily
treatment.
Breast
brachytherapy,
or
partial
breast
irradiation
(PBI),
has
been
researched
and
tested
by
Dr.
Robert
Kuske
since
1991
as
a
3. treatment
method
after
lumpectomy.
He
has
advanced
the
techniques
and
technology,
and
championed
the
research
bringing
breast
brachytherapy
to
where
it
is
today.
He
has
remained
totally
commited
to
his
patients,
who
let
him
know
in
no
uncertain
terms
that
they
wanted
a
shorter
more
convenient
alternative
with
less
radiation
exposure
to
surrounding
healthy
tissues.
Arizona
Breast
Cancer
Specialists
(ABCs)
is
the
first
clinic
in
the
world
dedicated
to
exclusively
treating
women
with
breast
cancer
with
radiation.
It
is
led
by
Dr.
Robert
Kuske
and
Dr.
Coral
Quiet,
Radiation
Oncologists
who
specialize
in
the
treatment
of
breast
cancer.
Together,
they
have
43
years
of
experience
treating
this
disease.