Encouraging results from breast cancer treatment trial

Targeted radiotherapy for breast cancer patients could be just as effective as treating the whole breast, researchers have found.

Focusing radiotherapy around the tumour site following surgery produces similar results as treating the whole breast and had fewer long -term side effects, the authors said.

Radiotherapy is a standard treatment used after an operation to remove a tumour from a breast.

The Cancer Research UK-funded clinical trial examined more than 2,000 women aged 50 or older who had early breast cancer with a low risk of returning.

The study saw the women split into three groups following breast conserving surgery; one had full dose radiotherapy to the whole breast – the current standard treatment, the second group had the full dose of radiotherapy to the area the tumour had been in – with a lower dose to the rest of the whole breast, and the third group received the full dose to the area where the tumour had been, and were given no radiotherapy to the rest of the breast.

Five years after their treatment, only 1% or less of women in each group had a recurrence of their cancer in their breast, according to the researchers, led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

Dr Charlotte Coles, clinical trial lead and consultant clinical oncologist at Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re really pleased we have demonstrated a very effective radiotherapy approach that also reduces the side effects of treatment.

“Minimising these long-term side effects is essential, as not only do they impact on physical health, but they can also cause psychological distress.”

Professor Arnie Purushotham, senior clinical adviser at Cancer Research UK, said: “This could result in a crucial change to how we treat breast cancer. If this changes practice it could prevent many women having lasting effects from their treatment and reduce the discomfort and emotional stress women have from these side effects.”