Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer: Long-Term Consequences

The benefits far outweigh the risks for most patients, thanks largely to efforts to reduce smoking and to expose less normal tissue to RT.

Patient with early-stage breast cancer often ask about the long-term effects of the therapies we recommend to reduce the risk for disease recurrence. The long-term effects of systemic therapies are well characterized, and in the modern era the long-term effects of breast radiotherapy (RT) are thought to be minimal. However, one focus of concern regarding RT is the effect on the lungs and heart. For more than 2 decades, the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Group (EBCTG), with its unique ability to analyze data from all randomized clinical trials, has provided insights into the benefits of breast cancer therapy.

Now, based on an analysis of 647 regimens published between 2010 and 2015, the EBCTG determined that the average radiation dose to the …

Reviewing Author

William J. Gradishar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead

Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation

Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)