BOCA RATON, Fla. -- According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 180,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.

Fortunately, significant technological advances in diagnoses and treatment are helping patients live longer and more fulfilling lives.

"These improvements are greatly helping patients with early stage breast cancer," said Dr. Marla Dudak.

Dudak is working with a new test called Oncotype.

The Oncotype test checks 22 different genes in a tumor to see which women may be at highest risk of having cancer recur in the future and whether or not treatment with chemotherapy will make a difference in their outcome.

"They found that those tumors with a high recurrence rate responded well to chemotherapy and those with a low recurrence rate responded poorly or not at all to chemotherapy," Dudak said.

Early stage breast cancer patients are also benefiting from targeted radiation therapy with a device called Mammosite.

"A radiation seed is placed inside a balloon which is inserted in the breast after surgery," said Dr. Alex Mirakian, a radiation oncologist.

"The main advantage is the treatment can be delivered in one week versus five to six weeks with conventional radiation treatment and it doesn't affect the entire breast tissue," Mirakian said.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago, Kathie Regan-Day is grateful that medical science is helping her get through treatment more quickly, and hopefully with greater success.

"I've got a new grandchild and I want to see him grow up," she said.

To Reach Dr. Marla Dudak 561-482-8887

To Reach Dr. Alex Mirakian 561-775-7075