Brachytherapy in initial tumors in breast cancer is shorter and with fewer side effects than conventional radiotherapy

Brachytherapy in patients with initial breast cancer tumors, and after performing conservative surgery, is faster and has fewer side effects for patients. This is the main conclusion of an international study published in the scientific journal 'The Lancet Oncology' in which 16 hospitals from all over the European continent have participated and which has had the collaboration of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) - the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the Valencian Oncology Institute (IVO).

In this study, 1,328 patients with an initial breast cancer tumor were analyzed who, following breast-conserving surgery, were randomly treated, 50% with complete irradiation of the whole breast (conventional radiotherapy) and the other half with brachytherapy with plastic tubes, irradiating only the surgical bed (around where the tumor was). After 10 years of follow-up, the initial goals of the study have been met: to demonstrate that local control can be maintained and side effects minimized.

Simpler treatments with fewer side effects

The main conclusion is that treatment with brachytherapy in just 4-5 days is faster compared to the 30 sessions that are carried out with external radiotherapy in 6 weeks. This is already a benefit for the patient but it is not the only one since brachytherapy has fewer side effects on the skin, the rest of the breast tissue is not affected and the lung and heart receive less irradiation. This minimizes discomfort for patients and improves their well-being, reducing the risk of long-term complications.

For the clinical head of the Brachytherapy Unit of the ICO in L'Hospitalet and researcher at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Cristina Gutierrez, "this study is important because it shows that both external radiotherapy like brachytherapy are safe and effective, since both treatments are equivalent in terms of local control, but, in addition, patients treated with brachytherapy have fewer side effects" and adds "this study contributes to raising awareness of brachytherapy in breast cancer mom".

For his part, the head of the Radiotherapy Oncology Service of the IVO, José Luis Guinot, emphasizes that“this is the first study worldwide that has shown that partial breast irradiation (instead of radiating the whole breast) is the treatment of choice for patients operated on with low-risk tumors. With ten years of follow-up, the initial results are confirmed, consolidating this change of focus that benefits thousands of patients with the most common type of cancer in women" .