Media Statement
In response to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine* about radiotherapy, Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, senior research communications manager at Breast Cancer Now, said:
“We welcome research that adds to our understanding of how women can receive the best possible treatment and care for breast cancer. These findings suggest patients who were aged 65 or over with certain low-risk types of the disease and didn’t receive radiotherapy alongside surgery and hormone therapy, had no greater risk of the cancer spreading elsewhere in their body, or of dying, than the women who did receive this treatment. However, they had a small increased risk of the disease returning in the same place."
“It’s important that decisions about the most effective treatment for women are made in partnership with treatment teams, based on what is best for them rather than their age alone. If patients have questions about radiotherapy, we advise them to speak to their clinical team, or to call Breast Cancer Now’s free Helpline on 0808 800 6000 to talk to one of our expert nurses.”
ENDS