Radiation Therapy vs. Endocrine Therapy in Older Women with Early Breast Cancer: A Randomized Trial
Radiation Therapy Shows Promise for Older Breast Cancer Patients
New research suggests that radiation therapy alone may be an effective treatment option for women aged 70 and older with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
The findings, presented at the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer symposium, come from the EUROPA trial, a large, randomized phase 3 study.The trial compared the effectiveness of exclusive postoperative radiation therapy to exclusive adjuvant endocrine therapy in this specific patient population.”Radiation therapy or endocrine therapy may be a viable single-modality treatment option, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary and patient-centered personalized care,” said lead study author Dr. Icro Meattini, an associate professor at the University of Florence in italy.
The study enrolled 926 patients, randomly assigning them to either radiation therapy or endocrine therapy. The radiation therapy group received either whole breast irradiation or partial breast irradiation, while the endocrine therapy group received aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen for 5 to 10 years.
Improved Quality of Life and Fewer Side Effects
After two years, patients who received radiation therapy reported significantly better quality of life compared to those who received endocrine therapy. This was measured using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) global health status scale.
Radiation therapy also led to fewer and less severe side effects. The most common side effects in the radiation therapy group were arthralgia (joint pain), fatigue, breast pain, and bone pain. In contrast, the endocrine therapy group experienced a higher incidence of hot flashes, myalgia (muscle pain), and alopecia (hair loss).
Similar Cancer control Rates
Importantly, both treatment approaches demonstrated similar rates of locoregional recurrence (cancer returning in the same area) and overall survival after five years.
A Shift in Treatment Paradigm?
Thes findings suggest that radiation therapy alone coudl be a viable option for older women with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. This could potentially simplify treatment, reduce side effects, and improve quality of life for this patient population.
Though, Dr. Meattini emphasizes the importance of personalized care. “The choice of treatment should be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual patient’s preferences, medical history, and tumor characteristics,” he said.
Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the long-term effects of each treatment approach.
Radiation Therapy Alone Shows Promise for Older Breast Cancer Patients
San Antonio,TX – A groundbreaking study presented at the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium suggests that radiation therapy alone may be an effective treatment option for women aged 70 and older with early-stage,hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
The EUROPA trial,a large,randomized phase 3 study,compared the effectiveness of exclusive postoperative radiation therapy to exclusive adjuvant endocrine therapy in this specific patient population.
“Radiation therapy or endocrine therapy may be a viable single-modality treatment option, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary and patient-centered personalized care,” said Dr.Icro Meattini, the lead study author and an associate professor at the University of Florence in Italy.
The study involved 926 patients randomly assigned to either radiation therapy or endocrine therapy. The radiation therapy group received either whole breast irradiation or partial breast irradiation, while the endocrine therapy group received aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen for 5 to 10 years.
After two years, patients receiving radiation therapy reported significantly better quality of life compared to those receiving endocrine therapy, according to the European Association for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) global health status scale. They also experienced fewer and less severe side effects.
Importantly, both treatment approaches demonstrated similar rates of locoregional recurrence and overall survival after five years.
While these findings suggest that radiation therapy alone could be a viable option for older women with this type of breast cancer, Dr. meattini stresses, “The choice of treatment should be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual patient’s preferences, medical history, and tumor characteristics.”
Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the long-term effects of each treatment approach.