University of Akron doctor engineering potentially groundbreaking breast cancer treatment

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - Working on a medical breakthrough to help treat women diagnosed with breast cancer, that's Dr. Judit Puskas' mission.

The professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Akron has been conducting the research she says could help patients fight the potentially deadly disease.

Dr. Puskas says she and her colleagues have come up with a special coating on a silocone breast implant called a Polymeric Fiber mat that releases drugs targeting and destroying cancer cells directly, whereas chemotherapy attacks the entire body. She's already testing four compounds with the Cleveland Clinic, and is working on the right dosage for clinical trials.

"You would have less side effects, less infection and it would be better treatment because of the local release," explained Dr. Puskas.

Elizabeth Keener was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.

It's been a year since her last chemotherapy treatment. "Mouth sores were the horrible thing for me. You don't realy think about all that, but it happens," said  Keener.

Now she hopes other women who may be faced with the disease will one day have another option to get rid of the cancer with the research Dr. Puskas is doing.

"Not to have to go through the misery. it's hard enough getting that diagnosis and then you have to go through the chemo, the radiation," said Keener

Dr. Puskas hopes her treatment gets FDA approved within the next 10 years. The research is costly.

The Breast Cancer Innovation Foundation will hold their fundraising event on Thursday. the goal is to raise $70,000 dollars.

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