Radiation therapy following surgery can keep breast cancer from returning for up to 10 years, a new study claims.
The study supports the current standard of care for early-stage breast cancer, which involves surgery followed by radiation therapy, researchers said.
“Our evidence suggests that radiotherapy protects against cancer returning in the same breast for up to 10 years,” said researcher Ian Kunkler, a professor of clinical oncology with the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Genetics and Cancer.
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“It supports the continued use of radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery for most patients with early breast cancer,” Kunkler added in a university news release.
For the study, researchers analyzed results for 585 Scottish women who received treatment for early-stage breast cancer.
Half received radiation therapy, and half did not. Radiation therapy uses high doses of radiation to destroy any remaining cancer cells after a tumor has been removed from the breast.
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After 10 years, 16% of those treated with radiation therapy had their cancer return in the same location, compared with 36% of those who didn’t receive radiation.
Overall average survival rates after 30 years were similar between the two groups – 19.2 years for those who got radiation therapy, and 18.7 for those who didn’t.
There were fewer deaths from breast cancer among those who got radiation therapy, 37% versus 46%.
However, there were more deaths from other cancers in the radiation therapy group, 20% versus 11%.
The study was published Aug. 7 in The Lancet Oncology journal.
“This 30-year study marks the longest follow-up of postoperative radiotherapy in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer,” said lead researcher Dr. Linda Williams, with the University of Edinburgh. “Long-term studies like this, which go beyond 10 years of follow-up, are crucial to fully assess the risks and benefits of treatments.”