partial-breast irradiation
(PAR-shul-brest ih-RAY-dee-AY-shun)
A type of radiation therapy given only to the part of the breast that has cancer in it. Partial-breast irradiation gives a higher dose over a shorter time than is given in standard whole-breast radiation therapy. Partial-breast irradiation may be given using internal or external sources of radiation. Also called accelerated partial-breast irradiation.