Two studies validate efficacy of bioabsorbable breast cancer marker

A new implant to treat women with breast cancer has been deemed effective by two independent studies, an encouraging development for the bioabsorbable marker branded as BioZorb.

Manufactured by Aliso Viejo, California-based Focal Therapeutics, BioZorb is a 3D implant that provides accurate targeting of cancer tumors for radiation treatment.

It has been reviewed in two studies, one published in the World Journal of Surgery and another presented at the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) conference this year, according to a statement.

BioZorb is the first and only device of its kind that identifies in a 3D region where the tumor was removed, which helps radiation oncologists know where the cancer was. The marker is placed in a patient during a lumpectomy surgery, which removes cancerous tissue and preserves the rest of the breast.

The framework of BioZorb can hold up to six titanium clips. Though the framework of BioZorb eventually dissolves over the course of a year, the clips will stay in place so the surgical site can be monitored.

Both studies conclude that BioZorb can significantly reduce the amount of normal breast tissue exposed to radiation treatments.

"Through our experience with this marker, we've observed that its use results in less radiation dose to the patient compared to whole breast radiation, plus a better overall cosmetic outcome," said Michael J. Cross, the lead author on the World Journal of Surgery study and a breast surgeon at Breast Treatment Associates in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in a statement. "We were also pleased to note in our research that there were no device-related complications in this group of patients, and that none of them had a recurrence of cancer."

In Cross’s study, 108 patients with early-stage breast cancer were implanted with the marker. The average age of the women was 63.

The study found that BioZorb could help decrease the amount of time it takes to complete radiation treatment, cutting costs of treatment by some 25 percent.

Similarly, the ASTRO study found that BioZorb could substantially reduce radiation exposure to healthy breast tissue by 65 percent on average.

"The process of delivering radiation treatment is substantially streamlined by having the 3D marker in place," said William Hall, MD, the lead author on the study and a radiation oncologist at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington, in a statement. "The marker tells us where the tumor was and helps us determine appropriate forms of treatment, whether with partial breast irradiation or standard whole breast irradiation and a boost dose at the end of the treatment process."