In a study conducted by the Moffitt Cancer Center, researchers found that early-stage breast cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy prior to surgery have a lower risk of developing a second primary tumor. Check out the article, below, to learn more.
Moffitt Cancer Center researchers launched a first of its kind study comparing the long-term benefits of radiation therapy in women with breast cancer either before surgery (neoadjuvant) or after surgery (adjuvant). Their study, published in the June 30 issue of Breast Cancer Research, found that patients who have neoadjuvant radiation therapy have a significantly lower risk of developing a second primary tumor at any site.
The majority of patients who have early stage breast cancer have surgery to remove their tumor or a complete mastectomy. Surgery is commonly followed by radiation therapy, which has been shown to increase relapse-free survival. However, in some cases, patients may require neoadjuvant radiation therapy to decrease the size of the tumor before surgery. Currently, there are no studies that have analyzed the long-term effects of neoadjuvant radiation therapy on breast cancer patients.
A number of recent studies have suggested that radiation therapy may re-educate and stimulate the immune system to target cancer cells. “The observed benefit of neoadjuvant radiation therapy aligns with the growing body of literature of the immune activation effects of radiation, including shrinking of untreated metastases outside the radiation field,” explained Heiko Enderling, Ph.D., associate member of Moffitt’s Integrated Mathematical Oncology Department.
This article was originally posted on Moffitt.org
