Women who undergo a lumpectomy for early breast cancer, or mastectomy for cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, may fare better in the long run if they also receive radiotherapy following the surgery.
According to researchers who analyzed data from previous studies on breast cancer treatments, radiotherapy reduces the chances a cancer will recur by 19-percent in women with early breast cancer treated with lumpectomy. Radiotherapy decreases the recurrence rate by 17-percent among those with more advanced cancer involving the lymph nodes.
Most importantly, the therapy reduces the death rate from cancer.
Women with early breast cancer who had lumpectomies and radiotherapy saw about a 5-percent reduction in 15-year mortality rates when compared to women who didn't have radiotherapy following their surgeries. A similar reduction was seen in women with more advanced cancer that had radiotherapy after their mastectomies.
The authors note doctors in North America and Europe are already aware of the lower risk of cancer recurrence in women who have radiotherapy. Many doctors, however, don't recommend the treatment because of unwanted side effects, which can include heart attacks or a new cancer. But these investigators believe the findings from this study suggest more women should opt for the treatment, especially because radiotherapy techniques have improved in the past few years.
The results were so compelling, in fact, they suggest some women who had breast cancer surgery within the last year or two but did not undergo radiotherapy might want to consider having the treatment. Study author Sir Richard Peto says: "Most local recurrences are seen in the first two or three years, so there would probably be little point in offering radiotherapy to women who have been free of cancer for the past few years. But, it might be worth considering radiotherapy for some women who, within just the last year or two, have had lumpectomy for breast cancer or mastectomy for cancer that had spread to the armpit, and who didn't get radiotherapy after surgery because of the side effects."
SOURCE:
The Lancet, 2005;366:2087-2106
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