Just because October is over and Breast Cancer Awareness Month has ended, does not mean that the quest for breast cancer survival techniques and treatments ends. ASTRO, The American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology, recently released an announcement confirming the advancements and radiation benefits for early-stage breast cancer patients.
The release states, “Spreading the word that this life-saving treatment will help women keep their breasts and avoid a potentially disfiguring mastectomy while allowing them to live long, cancer-free lives is an important mission of ASTRO.”
In conjunction with surgery, radiation has been proven to reduce the risk of cancer spreading or reoccurring within the next 10 to 15 years. The studies also “showed that radiation after surgery reduced the recurrence risk by half and the death rate by approximately one-sixth compared to women who had surgery alone.”
Many radiation oncology practices and outpatient radiology treatment centers agree with the findings in the article. Both Thomas Buchholz, MD, of the world famous MD Anderson Cancer Center and Bruce Haffty, MD, FASTRO, Chairman of Radiation Oncology at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School, comment on the studies and the proven survival rates.
“It is important that patients are well-informed when it comes to their treatment options, which is why this announcement is so important. The will to live and the drive to fight in cancer patients is unparalleled. This is a game-changer,” says Mike Ellis of University of Colorado Hospital’s TomoTherapy® Treatment Facility.
For more news on radiation oncology and radiation treatment advancements, visit any of the aforementioned links. Also, feel free to read the entire press release by ASTRO for more information.