In a nutshell
This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of radiation treatment (RT) given after breast-conserving surgery. The main findings are that RT leads to a dramatic drop in cancer recurrences and a moderately improved survival rate 15 years after the operation.
Some background
Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) involves the removal of the main tumor and some normal tissue, without complete removal of the breast. For small tumors, this procedure has very good results in terms of cancer treatment while also offering an obvious aesthetic advantage. Radiation treatment is usually given after breast-conserving surgery in order to obtain better control over cancer recurrences and spread. Radiation works by destroying microscopic groups of cancer cells that may persist even after a successful surgery.
Methods & findings
The present study used data obtained from 17 clinical trials in order to highlight of the benefits of BCS with RT versus BCS alone. A total of 10,801 cases were analyzed. Most patients had tumors limited to the breast, without spread to the lymph nodes. Women who received radiation treatment had a greatly diminished overall risk of recurrence 10 years after the surgery: 19.3% (BCS and RT) versus 35% (BCS alone). Estimated mortality rates 15 years after the procedure also moderately dropped from 25.2% (BCS alone) to 21.4% (BCS and RT).
The bottom line
In other words, radiation treatment almost halved the recurrence rate. This data proves that RT is a very important component of breast cancer therapy, even in early stages of the disease.
The fine print
Despite the significant results, it is important to note that patient data came from different studies performed by different research groups and that newly discovered risk factors for cancer recurrence were not considered at the time of this study (HER2 status, genetic analysis etc.). Patient characteristics influence the benefits obtained from anti-cancer treatment, which should be individualized.
What’s next?
Talk to your doctor about having radiation therapy post-surgery.
Published By :
The Lancet
Date :
Nov 12, 2011
