Radiation after lumpectomy beneficial for most older breast cancer patients

Older adults with early-stage breast cancer could benefit from radiation following a lumpectomy.

A new study claims that a majority of patients have positive outcomes after radiation treatment, preventing the need for a later mastectomy.

Researchers at the University of Texas made the discovery during a population-based investigation, in which 7, 403 patients aged between 70 and 79 had their treatment outcomes analysed.

The findings fly in the face of established practice for early-stage breast cancer among older adults. Currently, a lumpectomy followed by an oestrogen blocker therapy is recommended for patients.

Benjamin Smith, assistant professor at the Department of Radiation Therapy at the university and corresponding author on the study, commented: "Our study may shed additional light on some of those nuances and provides data that physicians can use when talking to their patients about whether to go forward with radiation."

The discovery could also give older adults more treatment choices when faced with breast cancer.

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