UCI orthopedic researcher Joyce Keyak has found that radioactive bone cement she helped invent can improve treatments for patients when their breast cancer has spread to the spine. In cases where breast cancer metastasizes, almost 75 percent of patients develop spine tumors. In her study, Keyak and UCI colleagues in radiological oncology found that when injected into vertebrae, her bone cement irradiates the tumor while strengthening the bone, making it a valuable alternative to multiple radiation treatments. She presented her data at the annual meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society Feb. 22. “With further development, this may provide a safe treatment for patients with recurrent spinal tumors who currently have few treatment options,” she said