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Breast cancer treatment is about to undergo a major revolution. A study presented at the annual congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) reveals that a three-week course of radiotherapy is as effective as a standard five-week course. This discovery could make life easier for patients, while ensuring the same chances of recovery.
Breast cancer is the most common type of tumor in women, with more than 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year in France. Around 30% of breast cancers are diagnosed at a locoregional stage, meaning they have spread to the breast and surrounding lymph nodes, and are therefore more advanced. For these patients, after surgery, the standard radiotherapy course, called normofractionated, was previously spread over five weeks, with 25 sessions of irradiation of the breast or chest wall and lymph node area. But it should very soon be reduced.
A turning point for breast cancer patients
Conducted by the Gustave Roussy Institute, this study compared the effectiveness of shorter radiotherapy with that of conventional treatment on 1,200 patients with early breast cancer. One group received 15 radiotherapy sessions over 3 weeks, with 40 Gy delivered in total, or 2.67 Gy per session. The other group received 25 radiotherapy sessions over 5 weeks, with 50 Gy delivered in total, or 2 Gy per session.
The results are clear: after five years of follow-up, the rate of local recurrence remained the same, regardless of the duration of treatment. These data mark a turning point, with a clear objective: to improve the quality of life of patients without compromising their recovery.
Standard radiotherapy, used to treat breast cancer, requires patients to undergo five weeks of daily sessions, a physically and mentally demanding process. Now, the possibility of shortening this period to three weeks opens the way to less restrictive treatment, without compromising its effectiveness.
Equal effectiveness, no more side effects
The proposed accelerated radiotherapy is based on more concentrated doses, administered over just three weeks. But is it well tolerated? Patients who participated in the study reported no significant increase in side effects compared to the conventional method, particularly lymphedema (swelling of the arm).
The results demonstrate that the frequency of occurrence of lymphedema in the hypofractionated course is not higher than in the standard course and locoregional relapse-free survival, relapse-free survival and overall survival are similar in both courses.
Benefits beyond clinical efficacy
In addition to the medical benefits, this new treatment method could have a significant impact on the organization and cost of care. By shortening the duration of sessions, oncology departments could treat a greater number of patients and thus reduce waiting times. For women living in rural areas or those far from treatment centers, the daily trips back and forth for radiotherapy sessions would thus be reduced.
A strategy for all patients?
While the results of this study are promising, some experts point out that not all breast cancer patients will be eligible for this shortened radiation therapy. The type and stage of the cancer, as well as the patient’s general health, remain essential criteria in defining the treatment protocol. However, previous studies had established the standard of a short radiation treatment in women with earlier localized breast cancer, without lymph node involvement. Today, the results of the HypoG-01 study reach the same conclusion in locoregional breast cancer, which requires irradiation of the breast or chest wall and lymph nodes.
Improving the quality of life of patients
“Our study, multicenter and randomized, was conducted in France in cancer treatment centers, university hospitals and private centers. It demonstrates real progress for patients because the treatment is shorter (3 weeks) and less heavy but has the same benefits as the five-week course. Our results establish a new standard of treatment in radiotherapy in this indication.” explains Dr. Sofia Rivera.
The study, in the final stages of publication, should quickly pave the way for a wider implementation of this method across the world. Researchers and clinicians hope that this treatment model can be applied to other types of cancers requiring radiotherapy, always with the aim of optimizing the comfort and quality of life of patients.