ProNurse

By Jane Kirby

Women with breast cancer could be spared unnecessary treatments after experts discovered fewer, larger, doses were just as effective in battling the disease.

A lower overall course of radiotherapy delivered as fewer, larger, doses also resulted in fewer skin changes in a clinical trial.

Other side-effects – such as hardness, swelling, sensitivity and pain and stiffness – were similar among women given the new treatment regime or the standard dose.

The international standard dose of radiotherapy is 50 grays (unit of absorbed radiation) delivered in 25 fractions (treatments) over five weeks.

Experts at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) conducted two trials to see if the overall dose could be lowered and given in fewer treatments without affecting the patient’s chances of a successful outcome.

In trial A, women received 39 grays or 41.6 grays in 13 fractions over five weeks.

Meanwhile, those in trial B received 40 grays in 15 fractions over three weeks.

The results for both trials showed tumours were kept under similar control when compared with women undergoing a standard treatment regime.

The study, which was published in the journal The Lancet Oncology, was part of the Start trials involving 4451 patients.

The trial was funded by Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council and the Department of Health.

Overall, about 40% of more than 2000 women questioned from the trial reported moderate or marked changes to the breast in the five years following their treatment.

All the women had had surgery for early-stage breast cancer and subsequent radiotherapy.

The most frequently reported adverse effects were breast hardness (41%) and change in breast appearance (39%).

Up to a third of patients also suffered arm and shoulder pain, which was linked with earlier treatment.

Professor John Yarnold, chief investigator of the trial from the ICR, said: "Using women’s personal ratings of the side-effects they experienced since treatment for early breast cancer gives us a unique insight into the effects of the lower dose of radiotherapy compared to the international standard.

“Trials which follow up patients like this are crucial so that improvements in treatment can be made without compromising the side- effects.”

Kate Law, director of clinical research at Cancer Research UK, said: “Fewer doses of radiotherapy that are just as effective as the standard treatment and don’t increase the side effects will have a big impact for patients, especially as it means less visits to hospital.”

More than 45,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK and just under 12,000 die from the disease.

Meg McArthur, from Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: “It is encouraging to see that a patient’s experience of breast cancer treatment can be improved, with no apparent increase in side- effects.”

Originally published by Newsquest Media Group.

© 2010 Herald, The; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

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