Some breast cancer patients may not need radiation, new Canadian research suggests – CBC

Breast cancer survivor says radiation treatment is painful, has lingering impacts

Aug 16, 2023

Older women with early, low-risk breast cancer may not need to receive radiation treatment, according to a new research finding that experts say could spare patients from some harmful side effects.

In Canada, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer, with one in eight women likely diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. Typically women with early stage, low-risk breast cancer will have surgery, followed by several weeks of radiation and then a few years of hormone therapy, to ensure the cancer doesn’t come back.

But a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that patients who meet certain criteria might be able to skip the radiation part of the treatment, something cancer researchers, radiation experts and breast cancer patients say is reassuring.

Some breast cancer patients may not need radiation, new Canadian research suggests – CBC

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