Dr. Hughes on RT in Elderly Patients With ER+ Breast Cancer

Kevin S. Hughes, MD, co-director, Avon Comprehensive Breast Evaluation Center, medical director, Bermuda Cancer Genetics and Risk Assessment Clinic, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses treatment with radiation therapy (RT) for elderly patients with ER-positive breast cancer.

In a study, researchers randomized patients aged 70 and older with stage I ER-positive breast cancer to receive RT or no RT. Results showed that there was a decrease in breast cancer recurrence in patients who received RT; however, the decrease was minimal at 7%.

In conclusion, researchers believe that RT is not necessary in elderly patients with early-stage ER-positive breast cancer. This should also be investigated in younger women with luminal A subtypes, where RT may not be needed, Hughes adds.