New treatments help patients get through chemo, radiation

When Sonya Newton of Las Vegas was first diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2012 at the age of 41, she was the same age as her mother. Newton found a lump in her breast, just months before she was scheduled for her annual mammogram.

"I had been having mammograms since I was 30 years old because my mom had breast cancer at the age of 41," she said. "It had only been 10 months since my last scan."

Her initial reaction was one of disbelief. Then the realization set in.

"I called my sister-in-law, Dr. Sarah Newton, to tell her what I had found, and from there things began to move very quickly," she said.

Several doctor appointments and several scans followed in the next two weeks. The diagnosis was breast cancer.

"I had 12 treatments of chemotherapy and 33 treatments of radiation," Newton said. "I also had a double mastectomy, a hysterectomy and have had two reconstruction surgeries."

Her hair did fall out, but she didn't suffer the dreaded side effects of the treatments that so many people fear more than the treatment itself.

People are often surprised, said Michael Anderson, board-certified radiologist with Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada.

"Radiation is a lot less intensive and less lengthy, much more precise," he said. "We can give a higher dosage over less time and be much more effective."

Chemotherapy and radiation have come a long way in the past decade, even the past few years, particularly in the treatment of breast cancer.

In the past, a typical radiation course, often performed after major surgery, took about six weeks, causing serious side effects such as nausea, significant hair loss and skin irritation

"What is now really popular is a partial breast radiation, that's about one week of radiation," he said. "We have more technology that can help us to detect cancers and cancer recurrences sooner than ever. This makes treatment so much more effective."

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, which is affiliated with The US Oncology Network, is offering hypofractionated radiation therapy, in which the total dose of radiation is divided into large doses and treatments are given over a significantly shorter period of time.

"By doing more intensified treatments, it's less toxic for the patient," Anderson said. "They have less fatigue; cosmetically it is better because you don't have that severe skin reaction. It lets women get back to their normal life much quicker. That's where we are continuing to evolve."

As the science of drug therapy continues to progress, medical oncologists have far more options to choose from than simply chemotherapy drugs, said Brian Lawenda, a board-certified radiation oncologist with 21st Century Oncology. There are immune-based therapies, drugs that target specific proteins in cancer cells and anti-hormonal and anti-growth factor compounds.

"It seems that almost monthly, new studies are published that have potentially practice-changing implications due to significant improvements in cancer outcomes with these novel systemic therapies," he said.

Radiation therapy technologies and approaches have grown exponentially over the past 10 years.

"Due to advancements in imaging and treatment planning and delivery techniques, we are now able to target cancers in the body with marksman-like precision, all the while minimizing collateral injury to the surrounding non-cancerous tissues," said Lawenda, national director of Integrative Oncology and Cancer Survivorship. "Visualization of internal organs and the tumor is no longer science fiction, as the latest radiation therapy machines have built-in imaging capabilities that enable us to actually 'see' and/or track the motion of your cancer before and/or during each treatment."

These new technologies have enabled shorter treatment courses for many patients, often taking only a few minutes per daily treatment, over a course of one to five days.

"In some cases, (these) are even more effective than the longer course treatment regimens," Lawenda said.

As cancer research and treatment continues to advance, one of the most common myths about cancer treatment is that it will make you so sick that you won't be able to live or work normally.

"In most cases, this is not true," he said. "Most people with cancer are treated on an outpatient basis in their home communities. There are many treatments for side effects of cancer treatments and lifestyle changes can greatly improve quality of life during treatment."

He suggests that new cancer patients bring questions and not be afraid to ask their treating physician anything.

"In the days before your consultation, write down any questions that come to mind," Lawenda said. "Ask a friend or family member to come with you. He or she can help you prepare for your treatments, remember instructions and be there for you with emotional and practical support."

That's what helped Newton through her treatments more than anything else.

"My amazing friend Debbie Tanner went with me to my first six chemo treatments," Newton said. "She held my hand the first time they injected the drugs that would hopefully kill the cancer cells and played dominoes with me to help pass the time."

Newton's family had not one but two parties to keep her spirits high. The first was a "shots and shaving" party to shave her head before the hair began to truly fall out, and the second was a "goodbye to second base," a celebration in honor of her double mastectomy.

"It was just what I needed going into that week," she said. "My friends are the best on Earth."