One-Shot Radiotherapy 'success Against Breast Cancer'

[Raistlin]

A single dose of radiation during surgery is just as effective as a prolonged course of radiotherapy for breast cancer, a study suggests.

Doctors have tested the technique, which involves a single shot of radiotherapy to a tumour site, in more than 2,000 patients.

It could save the UK £15m a year, the researchers said.

Cancer Research UK said The Lancet study could have a "huge impact" for patients.

The researchers said using the one-stop procedure would be more convenient for patients and cut waiting lists.

Treatment to surgically remove cancerous breast tissue is the starting point of treatment for thousands of women in Britain each year.

That is often followed up with weeks of radiotherapy to the whole breast to kill any remaining cancer cells.

But with the new technique, doctors use a mobile radiotherapy machine that can be inserted into the breast to target the exact site of the cancer.

Led by a UK team, but carried out in nine countries, the four-year trial in women over 45 showed similar rates of disease recurrence regardless of the treatment used.

There were six cases of the disease returning in those who had the new single-dose technique and five cases in those undergoing a prolonged course of radiotherapy.

But the single dose during surgery avoids potential damage to organs such as the heart, lung, and oesophagus, which can occur during radiation to the whole breast, the researchers said.

The frequency of any complications and major toxic effects was similar in the two groups.

While optimistic about the results, the researchers stressed the findings were only applicable to women with a similar type of breast cancer as those in the trial.

But they added: "Treatment of patients with breast cancer accounts for about a third of the workload of radiotherapy departments in some parts of the world and contributes substantially to the unacceptable waiting lists seen in many oncology departments worldwide.

"In countries such as the UK where the waiting list for postoperative radiotherapy could rapidly diminish with use of targeted intraoperative radiotherapy, we estimate savings of around £15 million a year."

Kate Law, director of clinical research at Cancer Research UK, said: "Radiotherapy is already a very effective treatment, so improving that even further is an exciting prospect.

"Further follow-up of these women will be needed to confirm whether this strategy not only makes the most of the therapy's power but also minimises any long-term side effects."

[Cherry Red Pocket Rocket]

Interesting article. What causes breast cancer in the first place?

[Raistlin]

Interesting article. What causes breast cancer in the first place?

What Causes Breast Cancer?

Certain changes in DNA can cause normal breast cells to become cancer.

DNA is the chemical in each of our cells that makes up our genes -- the instructions for how our cells work.

Some inherited DNA changes (mutations) can increase the risk for developing cancer and cause the cancers that run in some families.

For instance, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor suppressor genes -- they keep cancer tumors from forming.

When they are changed (mutated), they no longer cause cells to die at the right time, and cancer is more likely to develop.