Targeted radiotherapy for breast cancer patients could be just as effective as treating the whole breast, British research has found.
Following surgery, focusing radiotherapy around the tumour site produces similar results as treating the whole breast and has fewer long-term side effects, the authors of a study, led by The Institute of Cancer Research, London, say.
Radiotherapy is a standard treatment used after the removal of a tumour from a breast, even those deemed to have a low risk of relapse.
The Cancer Research UK-funded clinical trial examined more than 2000 women, aged 50 or older, who had early breast cancer with a low risk of returning.
The study, presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam, split the women into three groups following breast-conserving surgery: one had full dose radiotherapy to the whole breast, the current standard treatment; the second had the full dose of radiotherapy to the tumour area, with a lower dose to rest of the breast; and the third group received the full dose to the area where the tumour had been, and no radiotherapy to the rest of the breast.
Five years after their treatment, only one per cent or less of women in each group had a recurrence of their cancer in their breast, according to the researchers.
Dr Charlotte Coles of the 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 the result could lead to a "crucial change" in the treatment of breast cancer.
