Monday, January 12, 2009
News
Corunna woman receives new breast cancer radiation treatment
Argus-Press Photo by Cheryll Warren Maxine Springs is in Florida after receiving a new radiation treatment for breast cancer.
By CHERYLL WARREN Argus-Press Staff Writer
CORUNNA - Maxine Springs has made a step forward that will benefit many people. Diagnosed last fall with breast cancer, 70-year-old Springs received a new radiation therapy program that dramatically shortened the length of time she needed to complete radiation treatment.
Known as breast brachytherapy, Springs received a breast implant, the first step in the therapy, at Memorial Healthcare. Nathan Tomita, D. O., a general and bariatric surgeon at Memorial, performed the surgery. Springs, diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer, was the first patient at Memorial to receive this type of breast implant in preparation for breast brachytherapy, a new treatment available through the Great Lakes Cancer Institute in Flint.
The implant she received at Memorial remained in her breast during a five day course of radiation.
Springs described the implanted device as a “balloon type of thing” with several tubes leading into the balloon area. The tubes were used as entry points into which radiation seeds were introduced inside the device planted within her breast. Springs had to travel to Flint for treatment twice a day.
“I drove myself to Flint twice a day for five days,” Springs said. “I was in Florida a week after I finished radiation. I drove myself there, too.”
Springs received a CT scan before each radiation treatment. The treatments lasted 45 minutes, after that the radiation seeds were removed. She would then drive herself home to Corunna, and then back to Flint for a second treatment six hours later.
Spring was diagnosed with breast cancer following a mammogram at the end of September 2008. Afterward, she had surgery and received a week of breast brachytherapy. By mid-November, she was in Florida where she has since begun chemotherapy.
“I didn't feel anything,” Springs said of the breast cancer diagnosis. “If it hadn't been for the regular mammogram, I wouldn't have known I had cancer.
“It was a fast growing kind of cancer. I wouldn't have had it a year earlier. It wasn't anything anybody missed.”
The brachytherapy radiation treatment Springs received is appropriate for certain types of early stage breast cancers.
Springs said her treatments have not slowed her down very much. The chemotherapy treatments, however, do cause hair loss.
“Because I knew I was going to lose my hair, I had my head shaved,” she said. She now wears a wig.
“I have two wigs,” she said. “I'm all set.”
Spring's chemotherapy schedule calls for four chemotherapy sessions 21 days apart.
“I'm taking chemo with very little effect,” she said, although she acknowledged some days she does feel like she has no energy.
“I don't want to overdo,” she said. “I protect myself from getting cold, but I go down and play cards and bingo with the gang. I still do my regular fun stuff.
“Today I feel good,” Springs said. “It's like nothing ever happened.”
Known as breast brachytherapy, Springs received a breast implant, the first step in the therapy, at Memorial Healthcare. Nathan Tomita, D. O., a general and bariatric surgeon at Memorial, performed the surgery. Springs, diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer, was the first patient at Memorial to receive this type of breast implant in preparation for breast brachytherapy, a new treatment available through the Great Lakes Cancer Institute in Flint.
The implant she received at Memorial remained in her breast during a five day course of radiation.
Springs described the implanted device as a “balloon type of thing” with several tubes leading into the balloon area. The tubes were used as entry points into which radiation seeds were introduced inside the device planted within her breast. Springs had to travel to Flint for treatment twice a day.
“I drove myself to Flint twice a day for five days,” Springs said. “I was in Florida a week after I finished radiation. I drove myself there, too.”
Springs received a CT scan before each radiation treatment. The treatments lasted 45 minutes, after that the radiation seeds were removed. She would then drive herself home to Corunna, and then back to Flint for a second treatment six hours later.
Spring was diagnosed with breast cancer following a mammogram at the end of September 2008. Afterward, she had surgery and received a week of breast brachytherapy. By mid-November, she was in Florida where she has since begun chemotherapy.
“I didn't feel anything,” Springs said of the breast cancer diagnosis. “If it hadn't been for the regular mammogram, I wouldn't have known I had cancer.
“It was a fast growing kind of cancer. I wouldn't have had it a year earlier. It wasn't anything anybody missed.”
The brachytherapy radiation treatment Springs received is appropriate for certain types of early stage breast cancers.
Springs said her treatments have not slowed her down very much. The chemotherapy treatments, however, do cause hair loss.
“Because I knew I was going to lose my hair, I had my head shaved,” she said. She now wears a wig.
“I have two wigs,” she said. “I'm all set.”
Spring's chemotherapy schedule calls for four chemotherapy sessions 21 days apart.
“I'm taking chemo with very little effect,” she said, although she acknowledged some days she does feel like she has no energy.
“I don't want to overdo,” she said. “I protect myself from getting cold, but I go down and play cards and bingo with the gang. I still do my regular fun stuff.
“Today I feel good,” Springs said. “It's like nothing ever happened.”