Shorter Radiation Treatment Times for Breast Cancer Adds to Patient Convenience

A US medical center has launched research into accelerated whole breast radiation treatment for women with early-stage breast cancer.

The study, RTOG 1005, was developed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), a cancer therapy research cooperative group funded by the US National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD, USA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Frank Vicini, MD, Beaumont Health System’s (Royal Oak, MI, USA) chief of oncology services, and the study’s national lead investigator, reported that this approach could eventually shorten treatment time for the majority of women with breast cancer. Beaumont has enrolled the United States’ first patient in the study--a 51-year-old schoolteacher from Royal Oak, MI, USA.

Earlier studies have shown that giving radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) helps keep cancer from coming back in the breast. Radiation therapy is given to the whole breast on a Monday through Friday basis for five weeks. It can be followed by a “boost”--a higher dose of radiation to the site of the tumor--adding another one to one-and-a-half weeks of treatment time.

This new research study will compare radiation therapy given with a higher daily dose over three weeks plus a boost administered each day with traditional whole breast radiation followed by a boost given on separate days extending over six to six and-a-half weeks. “We don’t expect to see a difference in survival by changing the number of daily treatments and shortening the length of time for treatment,” said Dr. Vicini. “But shortening the length of treatment will greatly enhance convenience and quality of life for patients, while saving time and money.”

A total of 2,312 patients across the United States will take part in the study. Beaumont expects to enroll 100 patients.

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