How new treatment is helping thousands of Victorian breast cancer battlers
A new breast cancer treatment that can reduce standard radiation therapy to as little as three weeks — reducing the risk of patients contracting coronavirus — has been accelerated, thanks to quick-thinking oncologists.
South East
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The coronavirus outbreak has accelerated the rollout of a fast-tracked breast cancer treatment which can slash standard radiation therapy to as little as three weeks.
Oncologists at GenesisCare centres have ramped up the availability of hypofractionation radiation therapy for thousands of Victorian breast cancer battlers.
It involves the delivery of fewer, larger doses of radiation allowing patients to return home as soon as possible, reducing coronavirus infection risk by limiting hospital visits and allowing patients to self isolate.
One recipient is Chelsea mother-of-two Emma Harper who was shocked following her diagnosis as the global pandemic peaked.
The primary school teacher — who had no family history of the disease and no visible lumps — presented to her GP with a faint line under left breast.
“I was diagnosed within the week and had surgery at Alfred Hospital within two weeks,” Ms Harper, 44, told the Leader.
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Specialist breast and oncoplastic surgeon Melanie Walker found a three-centimetre and two-centimetre lump inside Ms Harper’s left breast and cut out half a kilogram of tissue before plastic surgeons worked to even out both breasts.
Ms Harper was told the following radiation would take six weeks, however as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, she was finished in half the time with the fast-tracked treatment at GenesisCare Frankston.
“The longest I was in the waiting room was five minutes,” she said.
“It’s a concern that the more time you go out into public places, the more chance you could catch coronavirus, but only having 15 sessions in three weeks meant I could get back on my feet quicker.”
Leading GenesisCare breast radiation oncologist Dr Mario Guerrieri said the amount of suitable women that accessed the care jumped from 50 to 70 per cent since March, with some treatment times being cut to as little as three weeks.
“When the government put on the brakes (lockdown) we as a group had to come up with a plan so patients could keep accessing treatment,” he told the Leader.
“Patients are getting a bigger dose of radiation but shortening the treatment time so the effect is the same as the long course.
“All good inventions come up in a time of need … we’re now getting through patients quicker.”
More than 19,500 Australians were diagnosed with breast cancer last year, with the disease making up almost 30 per cent of all cancers for women.
It is the second ranking cause of cancer deaths and immediate access to breast radiation therapy is critical for a best chance at survival.
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Dr Guerrieri said he was confident patients had reacted well and the new treatment would become the “standard” for suitable patients moving forward.
Ms Harper is now in the recovery stages of her journey and hopes to head to work slowly throughout Term 3.
“There’s never a good time to have cancer, but during COVID-19 is particularly rubbish … if I could describe the experience in one word, it would be lonely,” she said.
“You already feel very vulnerable and alone when you’re diagnosed with cancer so the pandemic added so much more weight to the loneliness.”