ASTRO: Post-mastectomy radiation does not increase survival
Breast cancer patients who receive radiation treatment after a mastectomy do not have a greater life expectancy than those who do not receive treatments, according to the results of a 10-year randomized trial presented Monday at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) conference in Chicago.
The multicenter trial studied 1,334 women with newly-diagnosed stage 1 or 2 breast cancer located i FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: n the axillary lymph nodes or their original tumor was in an internal, central location in the breast area. During the trial, 50 percent of the patients were chosen at random to receive special internal mammary chain radiation treatment (IMC-RT).
The researchers reported that delivering the proper dose of IMC-RT to the internal, central breast area is usually difficult due to its close proximity to the heart and lungs.
All patients in the trial underwent both a mastectomy and radiation to the supraclavicular lymph nodes and chest wall.
After a 10-year follow up period, findings showed no substantial differences in the 63 percent survival rate of patients who received the IMC-RT and the 60 percent survival rate of those who did not.
"This is the first study that answers the important question of whether radiation to the internal mammary chain lymph nodes benefit these patients," said lead author Pascale Romestaing, MD, a radiation oncologist at Centre de Radiothérapie Mermoz in Lyon, France.
The study also found no change in the survival rates in patients who were placed in three subgroups, including those whose cancer had spread to lymph nodes, where the original tumor was located and whether the patient had undergone hormone therapy or chemotherapy concurrently with radiation treatment.
“Our findings clearly show that it does not affect overall survival. These women still need radiation treatments, just not additional radiation to these specialized cells,” Romestaing said.
The multicenter trial studied 1,334 women with newly-diagnosed stage 1 or 2 breast cancer located i FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: n the axillary lymph nodes or their original tumor was in an internal, central location in the breast area. During the trial, 50 percent of the patients were chosen at random to receive special internal mammary chain radiation treatment (IMC-RT).
The researchers reported that delivering the proper dose of IMC-RT to the internal, central breast area is usually difficult due to its close proximity to the heart and lungs.
All patients in the trial underwent both a mastectomy and radiation to the supraclavicular lymph nodes and chest wall.
After a 10-year follow up period, findings showed no substantial differences in the 63 percent survival rate of patients who received the IMC-RT and the 60 percent survival rate of those who did not.
"This is the first study that answers the important question of whether radiation to the internal mammary chain lymph nodes benefit these patients," said lead author Pascale Romestaing, MD, a radiation oncologist at Centre de Radiothérapie Mermoz in Lyon, France.
The study also found no change in the survival rates in patients who were placed in three subgroups, including those whose cancer had spread to lymph nodes, where the original tumor was located and whether the patient had undergone hormone therapy or chemotherapy concurrently with radiation treatment.
“Our findings clearly show that it does not affect overall survival. These women still need radiation treatments, just not additional radiation to these specialized cells,” Romestaing said.