Dr. James Mackey highlights the various breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.



Southlake, TX – May 04, 2019– The outlook for breast cancer patients has become promising due to the modern advances in medicine and an increase in public awareness campaigns. But for people whose breast tumors have spread to other body parts, the outlook is not favorable since their 5-year survival rate is about 22%. The primary treatment options for breast cancer are chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, which have significant side effects. Scientists have been working on the various novel, non-toxic therapies in recent years.



“A lot of progress has been made on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, explained Dr. Mackey. “Research has revealed the complexity of breast cancer, and scientists have decoded the human genome to learn more on how cancer works and how it interacts with the hormone and immune systems of the body to come up with improved diagnostic and treatment options.”



Here are some of the amazing breakthroughs in detecting and treating breast cancer:



Optical imaging – Optical imaging is when light is passed in the breast to measure the amount of light that passes through tissue. Scientists are studying the use of optical imaging with 3D mammograms or MRIs to help in diagnosing breast cancer.



Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) – This is when doctors inject a slightly radioactive drug into a patient's vein to attach the tracer to the breast cancer cells. Using a special camera, they can see the tracer and the cells. It is a test that is being studied for use with mammograms to look at breast lumps or for women who have dense breasts.



Nanotechnology –This is a science that uses tiny objects known as nanoparticles where chemotherapy will be used to target cancer cells without affecting the surrounding tissue directly. Many drugs have been approved for use, while others are still being tested. Nanotechnology devices help doctors to look for signs of cancer in blood and other body fluids.



"New therapies and drugs are being tested to offer more effective and less toxic treatments to patients with breast cancer," continued Dr. Mackay. "Clinical trials, targeted therapies, bone directed treatments, positron emission mammography, and electrical impedance imaging are just a few of the breakthroughs achieved for breast cancer detection and therapy."


About Southlake Oncology

Southlake Oncology, located in the Southlake and Grapevine area is a community-focused oncology practice that delivers exceptional care to North Texas cancer patients with a variety of cancer diagnoses and blood disorders. Like the other Choice Cancer Care facilities, we are an independent treatment center that is physician-owned.