HEALTH
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Treasure Coast Medical Report
called back for another one. The second test revealed she had
breast cancer.
“When you are told that you have breast cancer, it’s first of
all — a shock, then you think, ‘This can’t be happening to me
— it happens to everyone else — but not to me,’ ” she said.
“Then you go through, ‘Is this a death sentence? Am I going
to lose my breasts or my hair?’ ”
Fraser had an ultrasound biopsy to determine the type of
cancer she had. She then met with a breast cancer surgery
specialist, Dr. Craig Wengler of Stuart, who calmed her fears.
“He looked me right in the eye and said, ‘Mrs. Fraser, you
have breast cancer,’ ” she recalled. “ ‘It’s very early, it’s very
small, and we can take care of it for you.’ ”
Because her tumor was small and no lymph nodes were
involved, she was a good candidate for IORT (intraoperative
radiation therapy) at Martin Health System. IORT is an
advanced alternative for radiation treatment. It offers a single
session of high-intensity, highly targeted radiation given at
the time of the lumpectomy surgery. The radiation is precisely
delivered to the tumor site in as little as eight minutes.
The benefits of IORT are huge, compared to more traditional
radiation treatments. Conventional therapies require daily
radiation to the whole breast for up to seven weeks, which
can cause damage to surrounding tissue.
“Whole breast radiation, from a cosmetic standpoint, can
cause more skin damage, fluid retention, and skin discoloration,”
said Dr. Denise Sanderson, a general surgeon in Stuart
who specializes in diseases of the breast. “So it’s better — you
can get the dosage you need to in a shorter amount of time
with less damage.”
For early stage breast cancer patients, studies have shown >>
• Diplomate, American Board of Plastic Surgery
• Diplomate, American Board of Surgery
• Member, American Society of Plastic Surgeons
• Member, International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
• Member, American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons
• Member, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
• State Certified Surgery Center
• New Beauty Magazine 2012-2017
• Radiesse® Hands Center of Excellence
• Castle Connolly, America’s Top Doctor
Dr. Alan Durkin, MD, MS
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Request your appointment today - (772) 234-3700 | www.oceandriveplasticsurgery.com
5070 Highway A1A Vero Beach, FL 32963 | email: info@oceandriveplasticsurgery.com
DIANE FRASER
Diane Fraser was the first patient to have IORT (intraoperative radiation
therapy) surgery at Martin Health System.
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