Breast Cancer Victims Could Face Fewer Hospital Visits in Future

Women undergoing radiotherapy for early breast cancer could have fewer hospital visits to make in the future, following the publication yesterday of landmark studies into the treatment.

Trials involving nearly 4,500 women with early breast cancer have shown that a lower total dose of radiotherapy, delivered in fewer, larger treatments, has been as effective as the international standard of a higher total dose delivered over a longer time.

The decade-long research results, published in the Lancet and Lancet Oncology medical journals, confirm long-held beliefs of some cancer specialists in Britain who have been using shorter treatment schedules for some time.

The trials, called Start A and Start B, short for UK Standardisation of Breast Radiotherapy Trial, were jointly funded by Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and the Department of Health.

Just under half the women received the international standard radiotherapy delivering 25 treatments, treating five times a week over five weeks.

The remainder received a lower total dose given in fewer, larger treatments in either three or five weeks.

Researchers then compared the rate of cancer recurrence in the treated breast along with the effects of the treatment on surrounding healthy breast tissues.

After an average follow-up of five to six years, the rate of recurrence in the breast remained very low for patients in each of the treatment groups studied. The rate of side-effects were low overall, and no higher in women receiving the revised treatment than those receiving the international standard of 25 treatments.

Lead researcher Prof John Yarnold, from the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital, said: “These trials represent a successful 10-year collaboration between cancer specialists and several thousand women motivated to help others by volunteering for research.

“The results suggest that a high total dose given in 25 small treatments is no better than simpler schedules using fewer exposures to a lower total dose.

“Shorter therapies giving fewer, larger treatments are obviously convenient for patients.

“The results support the current use of shorter schedules in the UK and in other countries.”

National Cancer Director Prof Mike Richards said: “We welcome these findings which show that women receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer can be effectively treated with fewer hospital visits. These results are good for patients and good for the NHS.”

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