Equally effective in the short-term radiotherapy for breast cancer

September 22, 2008, a new study said that after four years of follow-up, they found that postoperative radiotherapy of breast cancer a week, rather than as before radiotherapy 6-7 weeks, it seems can bring the same effect. The new findings gave rise to hope.

If a week can really radiotherapy with conventional radiotherapy to bring the same result, then known as the APBI a multi-center, large-scale clinical trials will allow more women with the hope that there will be more and more early breast cancer choose to retain the breast in patients with breast cancer resection, rather than as they are now in order to avoid postoperative radiotherapy and choose radical mastectomy.

It was found that those who also breast-conserving surgery in patients with breast cancer the end, only half of this surgical option, because that is where the patient’s family or work around the lack of radiotherapy equipment, there is a reason for this is radiation too long.

“Some women live in a place away from the radiation center of several hundred kilometers, and some people can not leave their jobs 6 ~ 7 weeks,” the researchers Pitt. D. Bass (Peter.D.Beitsch) said that she is the clinical doctorate “Most of these women eventually chose radical mastectomy.”

The controversial short-term radiotherapy

U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 approved the use of short-term radiotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer, but it has been the therapy has not been promoting the use of a large scale.

With conventional whole breast irradiation is different from the short-term radiation therapy through a special catheter into the tumor site to focus rays from a very small issue sources of radiation.

“Frankly, this technology and radiation in tumor academic circles is controversial, partly because we do not have a long-term follow-up data in support of it,” Bass said.

To make up for this shortcoming, the bass and her colleagues who have undergone short-term radiotherapy in patients with a four-year follow-up.

They will be the first batch of a total of 400 patient’s data in the United States Society of Radiation Oncology at the annual meeting were published.

Data indicate that the treatment four years later, they practiced breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer, followed by a week of radiation therapy patients, the probability of tumor recurrence after four years is only 2%.

Beth said, with the traditional 6-7 weeks, the whole breast irradiation compared with radiation therapy, this is not at a high relapse rate, and as effective as traditional therapies.

“Obviously, with our extended follow-up period, we will get more information, but these early follow-up data have been so we are very excited,” said bass.

Radiologist Philip M. David agreed.

David is a major women’s hospitals in the United States short-range radiation therapy department, director of the department of radiology at Harvard Medical School assistant professor of oncology.

Careful selection is key

Not all women are in the early tumors are suitable for a short-term radiotherapy.

Younger than 45 years of age, tumor diameter greater than 3 cm in the surrounding lymph nodes of breast disease involvement, as well as mastectomy in the frozen section block tumor resection margin was found positive for pathological examination of women are not suitable for short-term radiotherapy.

Lobulated tumor that originated in the breast ductal rather than acinar tumors, also does not apply to short-term radiotherapy.

Although there are so many restrictions, bass, said there are still the majority of early stage breast cancer patients suitable for this treatment.

David also said that it is time to promote the short-term radiotherapy of.

“Although the authoritative data indicate that this treatment is safe, but until now had been in 2008, and most suitable for breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer patients still have to choose radical mastectomy, it is because the reasons for radiotherapy, which can be said that the U.S. medical profession disgrace. “