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Radiation For Breast Cancer May Not Extend Life

Radiation has been shown in some studies to prevent breast cancer from returning in the short term, but it may actually increase the risk of dying from other causes. Researchers reviewed 40 studies that followed nearly 20,000 women.

Overall, radiation prevented breast cancer from returning in about two thirds of the women. When the results of all studies were combined, radiation did not improve the death rate from breast cancer during the first 2 years after treatment. After 2 years, women who underwent radiation were about 13% less likely to die from breast cancer each year.

But the benefits of radiation came with a cost, in that the death rate from other causes was actually 21% higher in women who underwent radiation. Researchers speculate that the increase in heart disease may be caused by radiation damage to the heart and arteries.
Researchers state that for women under 50 whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, "There's a modest benefit (of radiation)." But for women whose cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes, whose risk of a relapse of breast cancer is low, the benefits of radiation are small, improving survival odds by less than 1%.

For older women whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, making a decision about radiation is difficult, since older women already have a greater risk of heart disease, and radiation treatment may increase this risk even more, possibly outweighing any benefits of the treatment.

The Lancet 2000;355:1739-1740, 1757-1770

COMMENT: Conventional breast cancer screening (mammography) also exposes women to radiation, and therefore, may also increase cardiac complications. Additionally, as this paper calls into question the efficacy of radiation, a recent study Lancet 2000; 355: 129-134 that declared that mammography does not save or extend lives and is not a justifiable practice. Also, how much money do insurance companies and consumers pay out for radiation treatment of breast cancer, with the practice resulting in only a less than 1% chance of improving survival? Is this worth such a large investment when so many medical claims are denied and there is virtually zero coverage of preventive practices? It is wise to be proactive in this area and take a stance in preventing the disease by following a low grain diet to prevent and treat breast cancer as the other article in this week's newsletter recommends.

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