Using MRI To Diagnose Breast Cancer In Its Intraductal Stage May Stem Development Of Invasive Cancer

By using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) it may be possible to prevent the development of invasive cancer by diagnosing breast caner in its intraductal stage, according to an article in The Lancet. A Comment in The Lancet believes that these findings demonstrate that MRI should now be used as another method, in its own right, to detect early stage breast cancer. Professor Christiane Kuhl, Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Germany, and team examined details on 7,319 women over a period of five years. They had all been referred to an academic breast center.



As well as conventional mammography for diagnostic assessment and screening they all received MRI as well. The aim here being to find out how sensitive each method was in diagnosing DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ). Different radiologists then assessed the mammograms and MRI scans. They assessed the relative sensitivity of each detection method by comparing the biological profiles of mammography-detected DCIS with those of MRI-detected DCIS.

The scientists found that:

-- Of 167 women who had a DCIS diagnosis, 92% were diagnosed with MRI

-- Of 167 women who had a DCIS diagnosis, 56% were diagnosed by mammography

-- MRI sensitivity for diagnosing DCIS increased with nuclear grade

-- Mammography sensitivity for diagnosing DCIS decreased with nuclear grade

-- Of 89 women with high grade DCIS diagnosis, 98% were diagnosed by MRI

-- Of 89 women with high grade DCIS diagnosis, 52% were diagnosed by mammography

-- 48% were missed by mammography but diagnosed by MRI aloneThe MRI's higher sensitivity was not linked to a significantly higher number of false positive diagnoses.

"Our study suggests that the sensitivity of film screen or digital mammography for diagnosing DCIS is limited. MRI could help improve the ability to diagnose DCIS, especially DCIS with high nuclear grade," the authors conclude.

"These findings can only lead to the conclusion that MRI outperforms mammography in tumour detection and diagnosis. MRI should thus no longer be regarded as an adjunct to mammography but as a distinct method to detect breast cancer in its earliest stage. A large-scale multicentre breast-screening trial with MRI in the general population is essential," Dr Carla Boetes and Dr Ritse Mann, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Netherlands, wrote in the accompanying Comment.

http://www.thelancet.com

Written by: Christian Nordqvist

Copyright: Medical News Today

Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Almac Diagnostics Announces Pioneering Genetic Research On Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Using Breast Cancer DSA Research Tool

Almac Diagnostics has announced a major study analysing ductal carcinoma in situ tissue samples using its novel Breast Cancer DSA™ microarray. DSA™ research tools focus on the transcriptome of an individual disease, in this case breast cancer, and contain significant additional data, relevant to the disease of interest that is not available on other generic microarrays. The study will be conducted in collaboration with Prof Adrian Harris, Cancer Research UK and Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Oxford.


"Our novel technology is helping researchers to reduce discovery timelines, accelerate the validation process and ultimately deliver clinical applications in this disease setting." said Paul Harkin, BSc, PhD, Professor of Molecular Oncology at the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University, Belfast and MD and President of Almac Diagnostics.


"This particular study aims to generate a gene signature to identify the subset of DCIS patients who are likely to suffer a recurrence," he added.


The study will use paraffin embedded samples and is due to commence in the coming weeks. Tissue samples will be analysed using the Breast Cancer DSA™ research tool. An Almac bioinformatics team will interrogate the resulting data to identify any potential signature.



"Our research will use the Breast Cancer DSA™ microarray to examine the transcriptome of ductal carcinoma in situ at a greater level of specificity generating additional information that will help us draw meaningful conclusions from our data. Eventually we hope to develop a gene expression signature that will inform clinical treatment strategies" said Prof Adrian Harris, Cancer Research UK Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Oxford and Principal Investigator on the study.


In some cases, the treatment for DCIS is total mastectomy as it is curative in nearly all patients1. However, this strategy may represent over-treatment for those patients in whom disease will not recur2. A gene signature identifying the subset of DCIS patients most likely to suffer a DCIS recurrence, could therefore be used to aid those remaining patients who have been identified as unlikely to suffer a recurrence to choose to undergo breast conserving surgery.


1: Stuart K, Boyages J, Brennan M, Ung O. Ductal Carcinoma In Situ - management update. Aust Fam Physician. 2005 Nov; 34(11):949-54. 2: Baxter NN, Virnig BA, Durham SB, Tuttle TM. Trends in the treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004 Mar 17; 96(6):443-8.



DSA™ Technology


Almac Diagnostic's range of Cancer DSA™ research tools are novel microarrays developed to enable accelerated research in discovery, development and validation and ultimately to deliver clinical applications.


As the first microarrays based around the transcriptome of an individual disease, this technology generates significantly more information, which is reliable and relevant to the disease of interest, than is available on a generic array.


Array content has been generated through a process of high throughput sequencing of the chosen tissue and disease, followed by extensive bioinformatics analysis to create and annotate the unique, comprehensive coverage of disease and tissue specific transcriptomes. This provides researchers with all the information required to draw meaningful conclusions from their experimental data.


Based upon the gold standard Affymetrix GeneChip® technology, the DSA™ research tools provide multiple independent measurements for each transcript and content is both reliable and reproducible


The Breast Cancer DSA™ research tool contains ~60,000 probesets covering ~60,000 breast expressed transcripts:

-- 41% are present in the human RefSeq database
-- 51% of transcripts are not present in the human RefSeq database
-- 8% of the content represents expressed antisense transcripts to annotated genes



To date, Almac Diagnostics has launched Colorectal Cancer DSA™ and Breast Cancer DSA™ and Lung Cancer DSA™. Ovarian Cancer DSA™ and Prostate Cancer DSA™ will be launched later this year.


Clinical Application of the Colorectal Cancer DSA™ Research Tool



The successful clinical application of the Colorectal Cancer DSA™ research tool was first demonstrated in colorectal cancer as a prognostic signature in stage II colorectal cancer to identify patients at high risk of relapse post surgery. Results from this study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in 2006.


Based on a recent meeting with FDA, Almac Diagnostics plans to accelerate the development and clearance of this signature as an In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) utilizing the 510(k) approach to regulatory submission. The company will now finalize the design of analytical and clinical studies required for US marketing clearance1. While there can be no assurance that FDA will ultimately clear the product through the 510(k) premarket notification process, the company has decided to pursue that route of market clearance based on the preliminary discussions with the agency.


Application of this technology provides clinically relevant data that may ultimately improve patient care in a wide range of contexts including companion diagnostics, biomarker discovery and patient stratification.



The Vital Role of Research in Breast Cancer




Breast cancer is the leading cause of gynaecological cancer-related death among women. Worldwide, more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, accounting for a tenth of all new cancers and 23% of all female cancer cases2.



The number of registered cases of an early form of breast cancer called Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)3 has increased, according to figures released last year by Cancer Research UK. These show that in 2002 nearly 3800 women in the United Kingdom were diagnosed with DCIS compared with 2910 five years earlier.

DCIS occurs when the cells inside the ducts of the breast have started to turn into cancer cells. Some doctors describe DCIS as a very early form of breast cancer, others call it a 'pre-cancerous condition' because it often develops into an invasive cancer if it is not treated. Women who have had DCIS are at higher risk of getting cancer in the same breast and in the opposite breast as well as being more likely to develop more advanced forms of breast cancer.



1.Almac Initiates Talks with the FDA; Plans to market colorectal recurrence DX in 2008; May 29, 2007, Justin Petrone


http://www.bioarraynews.com/issues/7_22/features/140246-1.html



2. Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P, et al. Globocan 2002: Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide,Version 2.0: IARC CancerBase no.5, Lyon, IARCPress, 2004.


3. "Early form of breast cancer on the rise", 25 January 2006, Cancer Research UK


http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/pressreleases/2006/january/86299


About Almac Diagnostics Almac Diagnostics


, a division of the Almac Group develops and delivers novel genomic research products, such as the Breast Cancer DSA™ research tool, to help accelerate the drug discovery pipeline from validation to market.


Using the range of proprietary Cancer DSA™ research tools, Almac Diagnostics develops clinical tests to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.



The company also operates an accredited genomic services division, enabling academia, biotech and pharmaceutical companies to access high quality microarray processing and bioinformatics capabilities on an outsource basis.



Almac Diagnostics aims to be a global leader in the provision of genomic based solutions for the advancement of patient care.

About the Almac Group


The Almac Group comprises five closely integrated divisions offering a broad range of services from R&D, diagnostic/genomic services, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and technology (IVRS/EDC), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to over 600 companies including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California.


http://www.almacgroup.com/diagnostics

Department Of Health And Children Statement On Misdiagnosis Of Breast Cancer, Ireland

The Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney, TD, was made aware in recent days by the HSE about the misdiagnosis of breast cancer in a woman who resides in the Mid-Western region. She is aware that the woman presented to Barrington's Hospital, Limerick, initially in 2005, and again in 2007, and that there is specific concern surrounding two pathology tests performed in University College Hospital, Galway during that time.

The Minister apologises to this woman and her family for the distress and trauma caused to them.

The Minister has decided that a prompt investigation is required into all aspects of this woman's care, and any other issues that may arise, in line with best international practice following reports of adverse clinical events. She has asked officials to examine the most appropriate and effective mechanism for this investigation, including the option of a statutory inquiry under the Commissions of Investigations Act, 2004, which would require Government approval.

She also intends that the Medical Council be fully briefed on the circumstances surrounding this case and to request it to examine relevant aspects under its own statutory powers.

Role of HIQA

The powers of the recently established Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) extend to publicly-provided services. HIQA is, therefore, in a position to undertake an inquiry only into the components of this woman's care provided in HSE-funded institutions.

The Minister has consulted with HIQA on how a prompt and wide ranging review of all aspects of this woman's care, including those components provided in the independent hospital sector can be progressed. She plans to draw on the expertise of HIQA to advise on and support any resulting process.

HIQA is taking part in the Commission on Patient Safety, established by the Minister in January and chaired by Dr Deirdre Madden. Its work, which has an 18 month timeframe, includes developing proposals for greater accountability within our health system for performance in relation to patient safety, more effective reporting of adverse clinical events and complaints in order to learn from them, and a statutory system of licensing of all providers of health care.

The best advice made available to the Minister has been that a licensing system for independent providers should be in place in order for HIQA to carry out investigations into non-publicly-funded health care provision.

Standards for Breast Cancer Care

In May this year, the Minister approved "Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services in Ireland", which were prepared by a multi-disciplinary expert group and submitted to the Minister by HIQA. The Minister accepts the strong advice of HIQA and the expert group that care provided in accordance with these standards enhances quality reduces the likelihood of clinical errors and improves a woman's chance of surviving her cancer and maximising her quality of life.

These standards require significant reorganisation of breast cancer services to ensure that each centre providing breast cancer care

-- Manages a minimum of 150 new cases each year

-- Ensures that such care is provided by a team made up of a surgeon, a radiologist and a pathologist

-- Has a minimum of three consultants in each of these specialties

The Department of Health and Children has asked the HSE to progress the full and prompt implementation of these standards. HIQA will monitor and review the HSE's implementation of these standards and report directly to the Minister.

The Minister calls on hospitals in the independent sector and on the organisations that fund and insure care in that sector to take immediate steps to ensure that breast cancer services provided in non-HSE funded institutions are in compliance with these standards.

http://www.dohc.ie

Large European Study: Increased Cure Of Breast Cancer With Extra "boost" Irradiation After Surgery

A large European study shows that an extra "boost dose" of irradiation after surgery for breast cancer improves the chance of cure. That is the conclusion of Professor Harry Bartelink, from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital (NKI-AVL) in Amsterdam, and his colleagues in the August issue of the top oncology journal Journal of Clinical Oncology.

During this randomized study, more than 5000 breast cancer patients were followed for 10 years. The research is a collaboration between the NKI-AVL and 32 other European research institutes, lead by Professor Harry Bartelink.

In the Netherlands, about 1 in 9 women get breast cancer. Breast cancer is therefore the most common cancer in women. Approximately 80% of the women are treated with breast conserving surgery.


Professor Harry Bartelink and his colleagues followed breast cancer patients who received two doses of irradiation after surgery: a dose of 50 Gy, followed by an extra "boost" dose of 16 Gy. The boost dose lead to a 40% reduction in the chance of tumor recurrence after breast conserving surgery. The largest gain was shown for young women with breast cancer. Another important point is that with this treatment more than 80% of the patients are alive at 10 years after treatment.


Bartelink: "The favourable treatment results are partly due to the strict quality control that the participating centers had to adhere to. The outcome of this trial has lead to a worldwide change in the treatment policy for women with breast cancer".

In a new Dutch collaboration the Professor of Radiotherapy has started a large study where he hopes to further improve the treatment results for young women with breast cancer. At the same time, ways to use modern molecular techniques for predicting sensitivity to radiation are being investigated.


NETHERLANDS CANCER INSTITUTE
Plesmanlaan 121
1066 CX Amsterdam
http://www.nki.nl

Breast Cancer Guidelines Confirm Central Role Of 'Switch Strategy'

Guidelines from the 2007 St Gallen International Expert Consensus on the Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer, published in the Annals of Oncology (http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org), confirm the value of switching from tamoxifen to an aromatase inhibitor (AI), such as exemestane, for the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer.[i]


Approximately 360,000 women in Europe are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. With up to two thirds of breast cancers requiring the hormone estrogen to grow, medicines such as exemestane are crucial for women affected by this disease, because they work by interfering with the supply of estrogen to the cancer and preventing it from growing. Switching from tamoxifen to exemestane has the potential to save lives among women diagnosed with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer.ii



The St Gallen guidelines are the consensus of breast cancer experts from around the world, who have assessed and recommended optimal treatment strategies for this disease, which affects the lives of thousands of women and their families.



"Guidelines are essential for physicians, as they ensure we are up to date with the latest recommendations for patient care," said Professor Charles Coombes, Head, Department of Oncology, Imperial College, London. "The St Gallen guidelines have confirmed the value of starting treatment with tamoxifen then switching to an aromatase inhibitor, enabling women to benefit from the advantages of both medicines. Exemestane, one of the aromatase inhibitors, has been proven to offer an overall survival benefit in the switch setting, and these latest guidelines confirm to physicians that we should continue to use it in this way to offer patients the very best care."



In hormone receptor positive breast cancer, the St Gallen panel expressed a clear preference for switching patients from tamoxifen to an AI, such as exemestane, which means more patients can benefit from exemestane's proven results in extending lives.


The guidelines follow publication of the Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES) in The Lancet earlier this year, which showed an overall survival benefit for women who switched from tamoxifen to exemestane, the only AI to have demonstrated overall survival in a single, double-blind trial.[ii] The IES, which randomized 4,724 patients across 37 countries, demonstrated that postmenopausal women[1] with early breast cancer, who switched to exemestane after 2-3 years of tamoxifen, experienced a 17% reduction in the risk of death compared to those who stayed on tamoxifen for the full 5 years of therapy.ii Exemestane was the first AI to receive approval in the switch setting.


Professor Coombes, who was lead investigator of the IES, continued, "The IES results, and now the St Gallen guidelines, confirm that switching to exemestane rather than staying on tamoxifen gives women an improved chance of survival. Furthermore, switching to exemestane has also been proven to have no significant adverse effect on quality of life compared to tamoxifen alone,[iii] making it a good all-round option for women."



About exemestane[iv]



Exemestane is currently indicated for the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive invasive early breast cancer who have received 2-3 years of tamoxifen and are switched to exemestane for the completion of a total of 5 consecutive years of adjuvant hormonal therapy. Exemestane is also indicated for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in women with natural or induced postmenopausal states, whose disease has progressed following anti-estrogen therapy.


Exemestane should not be used in women who are premenopausal, are nursing or pregnant, have a known hypersensitivity to the drug, or are taking estrogen-containing agents. Exemestane should be used cautiously with drugs that are metabolised via CYP3A4 and have a narrow therapeutic window.


Exemestane was generally well tolerated across all clinical studies; undesirable effects were usually mild to moderate. The withdrawal rate due to adverse events in studies was 6.3% in patients with early breast cancer receiving adjuvant treatment with exemestane following initial adjuvant tamoxifen therapy and 2.8% in the overall patient population with advanced breast cancer receiving the standard dose of 25 mg. In patients with early breast cancer the most commonly reported adverse reactions were hot flushes (22%), arthralgia (17%) and fatigue (17%). In patients with advanced breast cancer the most commonly reported adverse reactions were hot flushes (14%) and nausea (12%). Most adverse reactions can be attributed to the normal pharmacological consequences of estrogen deprivation (e.g. hot flushes).



http://www.pfizeroncology.com



i] Women with estrogen receptor positive or unknown status of disease.

[ii] Coombes RC et al. Survival and safety of exemestane versus tamoxifen after 2-3 years' tamoxifen treatment (Intergroup Exemestane Study): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2007 Feb 17;369(9561):559-70



[iii] Fallowfield LJ et al. Quality of Life in the Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES) - a Randomized Trial of Exemestane versus Continued Tamoxifen after 2-3 years of Tamoxifen in Postmenopausal Women with Primary Breast Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology. Vol 24, No 6, Feb 20, 2006

[iv]Exemestane prescribing information (Summary of Product Characteristics dated 24 August 2005)

Breast Cancer - Its various causes along with Sign, Symptoms, Treatments and Types

Breast Cancer - Its various causes along with Sign, Symptoms, Treatments and Types

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. Breast cancer is the illness that many women fear most, though they're more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than they are of all forms of cancer combined. Still, breast cancer is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer deaths in American women. Although rare, breast cancer can also occur in men.

Earlier the diagnosis of breast cancer usually meant radical mastectomy which involved the removal of the entire breast along with underarm lymph nodes and skin and muscles underneath the breast. Today, radical mastectomy is rarely performed. Instead, there are more and better treatment options, and many women are candidates for breast-sparing operations.

The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells of the ducts. Cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules is called lobular carcinoma and is more often found in both breasts than are other types of breast cancer.

Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon type of breast cancer in which the breast is warm, red, and swollen.



Age and health history can affect the risk of developing breast cancer. Anything that increases the chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Risk factors for breast cancer include the following:

• Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
  Older age.
  Menstruating at an early age.
  Older age at first birth or never having given birth.
  A personal history of breast cancer or benign (noncancer) breast disease.
  A family history, mother or sister with breast cancer.
  Breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram.
  Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
  Drinking alcoholic beverages.
  Being white.

Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer is considered to be the most dreadful disease. This type means that breast cancer that has not just come back, but has made its way through the bloodstream and spread to other organs of the body, such as the bones, liver, or brain. Breast cancer spread may be present at first diagnosis or after recurrence.

Metastatic breast cancer women can live for years with the disease under control. For these women, living with a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer is like living with a chronic disease. It can go into remission, be active sometimes and not others, or move quickly. It frequently involves trying one treatment after another; ideally with breaks in between treatments when one feel good. The goal of treatment is to help to feel as well as possible and to let live a longer life.

No one can tell how long one will live with metastatic disease. That's because every woman's experience is different. Some women live for more than a decade. Others live for just a few seasons. But new and more effective treatments keep being developed. This means that patients may do much better today with metastatic disease than someone who had it only a few years ago.

In this phase of breast cancer, the treatment goal is to extend life as long as possible with the best quality of life possible. This means relieving symptoms and putting breast cancer into remission with the fewest side effects.

Metastatic breast cancer responds best if:
The cancer has not spread to any organs, such as the liver, lung, and brain.
If it has spread throughout the body, no more than three organs or parts of the body are involved (the fewer the better).

Estrogen and/or progesterone hormone receptors are present in these cancer cells.
There's no evidence that the tumor has stopped responding (become resistant) to hormonal therapy, Herceptin or chemotherapy.

Breast Cancer Causes
Breast cancer causes are a bit specific. The most common type of breast cancer begins in the milk-producing ducts, but cancer may also occur in the lobules or in other breast tissue.
In most cases, it isn't clear what triggers abnormal cell growth in breast tissue, but doctors do know that between 5 percent and 10 percent of breast cancers are inherited. Defects in one of two genes, breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) or breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), put the person at greater risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer.
Inherited mutations in the ataxia-telangiectasia mutation gene, the cell-cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK-2) genes and the p53 tumor suppressor gene also make it more likely that one will develop breast cancer.

Yet most genetic mutations related to breast cancer aren't inherited but instead develop during the lifetime. These acquired mutations may result from radiation exposure i.e. women treated with chest radiation therapy in childhood, for instance, have a significantly higher incidence of breast cancer than do women not exposed to radiation.
Mutations may also develop as a result of exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in tobacco and charred red meats.
In the long run, establishing a link between genetic mutations and cancer is just the first step. Now researchers are trying to learn if a relationship exists between genetic makeup and environmental factors that may increase the risk of breast cancer. Although these studies are still preliminary, breast cancer eventually may prove to have a number of causes.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer or Sign of Breast Cancer
Knowing the symptoms of breast cancer or sign of breast cancer may help save the life. When the disease is discovered early, the more treatment options and a better chance for long-term recovery are possible.

Most breast lumps aren't cancerous. Yet the most common sign of breast cancer for both men and women is a lump or thickening in the breast. Often, the lump is painless. Other symptoms of breast cancer or sign of breast cancer include:

New Radiation Technique Reduces Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects

• Women with early stage breast cancer who receive a newer type of radiation called intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) develop significantly fewer side effects than women who receive traditional radiation therapy, according to a study released today in the August 1 edition of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, the official journal of ASTRO

• Standard radiation treatment for breast cancer typically involves directing radiation to the whole breast and using wedges to compensate for so called "hot spots" or areas that receive greater radiation dose due to the shape of a women's breast. Side effects that can occur include changes in the breast's shape and feel, and skin irritations similar to a sunburn. These side effects usually will subside after treatment has ended, though long- term side effects such as changes in the color, texture or firmness of the skin and breast swelling can sometimes persist.

• IMRT is a specialized type of radiation therapy in which the radiation beam can be broken up into many beamlets, and the intensity of each beamlet can be adjusted individually. This allows radiation oncologists to more precisely shape the beam of radiation to better fit the individual contours of a women's breast while avoiding dose to adjacent organs. With IMRT, the radiation dose to the breast is more uniformly distributed throughout the breast essentially minimizing "hot spots".

• Doctors at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., evaluated 172 women with early stage breast cancer as part of this study. The patients were divided into two groups; the first group (54 percent) received IMRT, while the second group (46 percent) received conventional wedged-based radiation and served as the control group for the study.

• Researchers specifically looked for changes in the breast directly associated with radiation therapy. They evaluated the instances of dermatitis (reddened or itchy skin), breast edema (swelling) and hyperpigmentation (changes in skin color) on the breast, and the correlation between these side effects and the type of radiation treatment given.

• Overall, women who received IMRT reported significantly fewer breast-related side effects compared to the women who received traditional radiation therapy. Of the women who received IMRT, less than half (41 percent) had notable reddened or itchy skin, as compared to 85 percent of women receiving conventional radiation.

• Only one percent of the IMRT group had breast swelling compared to the 28 percent affected in the other group. Changes in skin color were experienced in five percent of the IMRT group, where 50 percent of the women in the conventional group saw hyperpigmentation. Pain was equally attributed in both groups with eight percent of the women in both groups encountering pain as a result of the treatment.

• "Earlier studies have demonstrated the benefits and importance of radiation therapy in the treatment of many women with breast cancer. It is exciting that we are now conducting studies with the goal of helping to make these treatments easier and more comfortable for women. This study, along with other recent data presented by our colleagues, demonstrates that improving dose homogeneity within the breast with IMRT results in significantly fewer side effects for women undergoing radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer," said Asif Harsolia, M.D., lead author on the study and a radiation oncologist with The Permanente Medical Group in Santa Clara, Calif. The study was conducted while Dr. Harsolia was a resident at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

• ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with nearly 9,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy.

• American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO)
• 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr., Ste 500
• Fairfax, VA 22031
• United States
• http://www.astro.org/

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