Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Introduces Specialized Radiation Treatment for Early-Stage Breast Cancer in Ocala and The Villages

Non-invasive Treatment Shortens Treatment Schedule

Fort Myers, Fla., May 13, 2025– Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) is now offering a shorter course of specialized radiation treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer at the FCS Ocala Cancer Center and the FCS Villages Cancer Center. Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) uses high-powered external beam x-rays to destroy cancer cells in less time and offers numerous other advantages for patients.

FCS radiation oncologist Luis Carrascosa, MD said, “APBI is highly effective for treating small tumors that have not spread to the lymph nodes as well as to prevent the recurrence of cancer following surgery, such as lumpectomy or partial mastectomy, to preserve the breast.”

Dr. Carrascosa notes that APBI, a non-invasive therapy, targets only the area where the original cancer was located, unlike standard treatments that target the whole breast and can result in unnecessary radiation to surrounding healthy tissue or organs.

“APBI therapy can be accomplished in as few as five treatments as compared to a standard course of treatment which can take three to six weeks to complete,” said Dr. Carrascosa. “For added convenience, through our expanding use of contactless technologies, we offer patients the option for APBI to be delivered when positioned on their back or on their stomach and without the need for permanent tattoos or marks on their skin, traditionally used when positioning patients for treatment.”

“The availability of this highly-sophisticated radiation therapy is consistent with our ongoing commitment to provide the Ocala community with access to the most advanced treatment innovations that increasingly enhance patient comfort and convenience, with shorter treatment schedules, improved outcomes and decreased cost,” said FCS Director of Radiation Oncology Sachin Kamath, MD.

The state-of-the-art FCS Ocala Cancer Center and FCS Villages Cancer Center are the first and only comprehensive cancer centers in Marion and Sumter Counties, serving patients with a broad range of cancers, blood disorders and other diseases.