Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
BREAST CANCER PATIENTS who receive radiotherapy targeted specifically at the site of their tumour experience fewer side effects, according to a new study published today in the Lancet.
Researchers hailed the results as a “major step forward” and said their results “have the potential to lead to a real change in the way selected breast cancer patients are treated”.
Most women with breast cancer would usually receive radiation therapy to the full breast, but it can cause side effects such as hair loss, fatigue, aches and soreness. This study, however, suggested that better outcomes may come from focusing in on the area with the tumour.
Five years after treatment finished, the women on the clinical trial had fewer debilitating side effects of treatment than women who received treatment to the whole breast.
The trial involved more than 2,000 women aged 50 or over in the UK with early stage breast cancer, that was at low risk of coming back.
The women who received the partial radiation therapy reported fewer long-term changes to the appearance and feel of their breast, than those who had received treatment to the full breast.
Dr Charlotte Coles, reader in breast radiation oncology at Cambridge University, and lead investigator on the trial, said: “We started this trial because there was evidence that if someone’s cancer returns, it tends to do so close to the site of the original tumour, suggesting that some women receive unnecessary radiation to the whole breast.
Now we have evidence to support the use of less, but equally effective, radiotherapy for selected patients.
Hilary Stobart was a participant on the trial. The 62-year-old was diagnosed in 2009, and was part of the group that received the partial radiotherapy.
She said: “Any cancer diagnosis is shocking. There’s such a lot to take in and it takes time to process.
I was in the group that had the least amount of radiotherapy. I had very few side effects – just soreness at the start but that was it. I am pleased that I was part of this study.
After presenting the results to colleagues, this method has been chosen to be considered for selected patients by the UK Royal College of Radiologists 2016 breast radiotherapy consensus and the Danish Breast Cancer Apology Group.
Professor Arnie Purushotham, senior clinical adviser at Cancer Research UK, added: “This approach could spare many women significant physical discomfort and emotional distress.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
A very similar incident happened in Glasgow. The body of the man turned out to be a homeless man who had climbed into the large skip like wheelie bin to sleep. He’d died from natural causes. RIP
RIP
@ Monica …. People don’t joke about this sort of thing here on the journal…. It’s much worse you will see comments saying gangland this n that .. He deserved it probably a drug dealer … One less … Ect ect
Truth is nobody knows they just mouth and sprout out of them
RIP. and I hope the lads who found him get over the shock of it .
I wasn’t refereing to the journal There were posts of people joking about the poor chaps death They have been removed now
I rest my case Monika
See the red thumbs monika see what there like….. vultures …any way to moan
A friend of mine found another corpse under a seat @ James Joyces Bridge yesterday !!!! Numerous people walked on by ! She was the only one to check the poor divil & alert the Guards !!
Really not good time for jokes
RIP
So sad, what an undignified end to a life. I hope he didn’t suffer.
Feel so sorry for the workers who found him, be such a shock.
ar dheis dei go raibh a anim dilis.
Aren’t people entitled to a opinion on this, apart from the jokers,if people assume its gangland let them say so is this not the point of this app
It’s one thing to have an opinion but it’s another to be disrespectful
By assuming how he died? That’s not disrespectful
I agree with you but I don’t agree that it should be any less tragic if was gangland related
Regular occurrence in the waste industry all across the world , not just an Irish thing
May he RIP with The Lord .
My god what has this country come to… poor fella :0(
As tragic as it is , and if that was me found dead in the back of a truck , would I expect jokes o yeah, would I be bothered hell no. I find that sick jokes tend to hurt more when your a live. In this instance I just hope he didn’t suffer too much.
It’s family and friends that lost a loved one and last thing they need is immature poeople joking about it
Exactly, Monica.
Was wondering where all the sickos where
Did somebody mention Ballyer.
Very misleading headline really
Oxigen…see the E. Your google machine needs a new operator
have your say