A new study suggests that women undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction may need only three weeks of radiotherapy instead of five, with no major complications.
Shorter radiotherapy for breast cancer patients
A clinical trial has found that women who have had a mastectomy and are planning breast reconstruction may need only three weeks of radiotherapy instead of the usual five, with no major increase in complications. Study published in leading journal
The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a respected medical journal that focuses on cancer research and treatment. The study is part of the North American RT CHARM trial, which aimed to evaluate shorter treatment options. New treatment schedule proposed
The standard radiotherapy protocol involves 25 sessions over about five weeks, but the study suggests a regimen of 16 sessions over three weeks. This approach uses slightly higher doses per session, a technique known as hypofractionation. Concerns about higher doses addressed
Doctors were initially worried that higher doses per session might lead to more complications, especially for patients undergoing breast reconstruction. However, the trial found no significant increase in complications with the shorter treatment. Large-scale trial conducted
The trial involved 898 women with invasive unilateral breast cancer, recruited between 2018 and 2021 from 209 centers in the United States and Canada. All participants had undergone a mastectomy and were planning breast reconstruction.
