Shorter radiotherapy improves life in women with cancer

Researchers from the Clinical, Molecular and Technological Research group in Radiation Oncology of Ibima Plataforma Bionand, in collaboration with the Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, belonging to the Andalusian Health Service of the Ministry of Health, Presidency and Emergencies of the Government of Andalusia, have shown that it is possible safely and effectively reduce the number of radiotherapy sessions in women with early-stage breast cancer.

He studyled by Isabel Garcia Rios and María Jesús García Anayatogether with the researcher responsible for the group, Jaime Gómez-Millánand other specialists on the team, supports the use of an innovative ultra-hypofractionated radiotherapy scheme, which consists of administering a single session per week for five weeks, instead of the usual daily treatments.

The research analyzed 334 patients treated between 2007 and 2019with an average age of 77 years, all of them previously operated on for breast cancer and treated with radiotherapy to the entire breast, have indicated from Ibima.

The objective was to check whether concentrating the treatment in just five weekly sessions offered the same results as traditional schemes, which were much longer and more demanding.

Regarding the data, they have indicated that tumor control after three years was 98.7%; overall survival reached 90%; and the 99.7% of patients completed the entire treatment.

These results confirm that the treatment It is not only effectivebut it also greatly facilitates the patients’ ability to follow it without giving up.

Physical and emotional relief for older women

One of the most notable aspects of the study is its impact on the quality of life. Many of the patients included had reduced mobility, other associated diseases or lived far from the hospital.

In fact, more than 60% He lived outside the metropolitan area of ​​Malaga, which made it especially difficult to attend daily sessions. Reducing hospital visits means less fatigue, less stress and less emotional impact, something key for older or frail women. This way of treating cancer puts the patient at the center, without giving up medical effectiveness.

The team compared two dose levels and concluded that the scheme 28.5 Gy (5.7 Gy per session) is the most recommended, as it causes fewer long-term side effects, such as chronic fibrosis, which can affect breast tissue.

Furthermore, unlike other international studies, this work included more complex clinical casessuch as mastectomized patients or patients with lymph node irradiation, which expands the use of this technique to a greater number of women.

Finally, they have highlighted that this advance consolidates Malaga radiation oncology as a reference in shorter, personalized treatments focused on the well-being of patients, especially those of older age. “A clear example that medical innovation is not only about curing, but also about better care,” they noted.