Shorter radiotherapy courses can benefit breast cancer patients
19 March 2008 – Lower overall radiotherapy dosing given in fewer but larger amounts has been shown to be as effective as the international standard dosage regimen, in which a larger total dosage is given over a longer period, for the treatment of early breast cancer.
Nearly 4,500 women took part in The Institute’s START Trial, with just under half receiving the international standard therapy and the remainder receiving fewer but larger treatments. Researchers then compared the rate of cancer recurrence in the treated breast along with the effects of the treatment on surrounding healthy breast tissues.
Follow-up of 5-6 years showed that cancer recurrence remained very low for patients in each of the treatment arms studied. The rate of side-effects was low overall, and no higher in women receiving the revised treatment than those receiving the international standard treatment. The results suggested that a lower total dose given in fewer larger treatments is as safe and effective in treating early stage breast cancer as the longer standard schedule.
The benefits of fewer sessions of radiotherapy to patients with early breast cancer mean fewer trips to the hospital for treatment, which in turn mean less upheaval in a daily routine. Reducing the number of trips to the hospital is also financially beneficial to patients. The results also offer new insights into how breast cancer cells handle radiotherapy damage to the DNA, suggesting how treatments might be improved further.
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