The procedure could instantly remove the need for traditional treatment, as seen above. (picture posed by model)
Women with breast cancer could soon be offered ‘one-stop’ radiotherapy – sparing them six weeks of exhausting treatment.
Thousands could benefit from the radiation technique, which can be carried out at the same time as the cancerous lump is removed.
While the patient is still under anaesthetic, a blast of ‘gentle’ X-rays is used to destroy any remaining tumour cells at the cancer site.
The 30-minute procedure, known as targeted intraoperative radiotherapy, instantly removes the need for weeks of the conventional treatment.
A trial published today found it was as effective and safe as traditional radiotherapy. Last night it was described as ‘very encouraging’ by the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
At present, conventional radiotherapy is offered to all women who have breast- conserving surgery, where just the lump is removed rather than the whole breast.
Each year in the UK 30,000 women with early breast cancer have a lump removed and as many as 22,000 could be eligible for the single-shot technique.
Conventional radiotherapy, which irradiates the whole breast, requires 22 hospital visits spread over five to six weeks, to reduce side effects such as tissue shrinkage.
But a trial of breast cancer patients in 33 different centres comparing the old and new methods found they were as good as each other.
Findings from the Targit trial, published in The Lancet medical journal, show intra-operative radiotherapy has a comparable recurrence rate, of around 1 per cent, and a reduction in side effects.
Deaths from other causes including heart disease were significantly fewer in the group having one-stop treatment.
Radiotherapy involves using high-energy rays to destroy any remaining cancer cells to try to prevent the illness returning.
Most women have their first dose of radiotherapy, lasting between ten and 15 minutes, one month after surgery.
The success of a trial could see a change in NHS policy, doctors have claimed
They then have the treatment daily from Monday to Friday, with a rest at the weekend, for about three weeks.
It can be an unpleasant ordeal and women have to lie in a room on their own while a machine directs the rays to their breast.
Although it isn’t painful, it can cause unpleasant side effects including sickness, tiredness and soreness of the skin which last a few days.
Studies show that radiotherapy is highly effective and it has been found to reduce the chance of cancer coming back by 40 per cent.
The trial, led by Professor Michael Baum and Professor Jayant Vaidya, of University College London, has involved almost 3,500 patients since 1998.
It compared outcomes for women given one-stop radiotherapy with those having the conventional form.
Overall, four out of five women having one-stop radiotherapy needed no additional treatment.
Professor Baum said: ‘We are hoping the publication of the trial results will lead directly to changes in NHS practice.
Professor Baum said: ‘We are hoping the publication of the trial results will lead directly to changes in NHS practice.
‘Many women will be spared six weeks of treatment going back and forth to the radiotherapy centre.’
Widespread NHS use could save around £15million because it would slash waiting lists for radiotherapy, according to the researchers’ estimates.
Widespread NHS use could save around £15million because it would slash waiting lists for radiotherapy, according to the researchers’ estimates.
It will be evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence next year for use on the NHS.
But it is already available in private hospitals in London, and at least two NHS hospitals, said Professor Baum, adding: ‘It has taken off in Germany and the US but Britain … is lagging behind.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2499252/One-stop-breast-cancer-treatment-Radiation-breakthrough-help-thousands.html#ixzz2kNI491Mk
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
