Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Radiation Therapy / 29.01.2016
Radiation Overutilized in Elderly Stage1 ER+ Breast Cancer Patients
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Quyen Chu, MD, MBA, FACS
Charles Knight Professor in Surgery
Professor of Surgery
Chief, Surgical Oncology
Director, Surface Malignancies Program
Feist-Weiller Cancer Center
Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center, Shreveport
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Chu: In 2004, national treatment recommendations changed for a select group of elderly breast cancer patients with the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 9343 trial. Research found that postoperative radiation therapy was not needed to prolong survival in a select group of women 70 or older, mainly those with a small, estrogen receptor (ER) positive tumor, and receiving anti-hormone therapy. Even with this information, nearly two thirds of the women who fit these criteria were still receiving radiation therapy after undergoing a lumpectomy although it has been proven to be safe to omit.
We found that as a nation, we are mostly not following the national guideline on breast cancer treatment and that the possible side effects of RT can be avoided.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Chu: Clinicians and patients should take away from this report that in U.S. women 70 or older with stage I, ER+ breast cancer and receiving anti-hormone therapy, radiation therapy is overly utilized as it is not needed to prolong survival.
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