Stanford Reports Encouraging Results From Single-Dose Radiation Therapy

Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center report encouraging results in the first U.S. trial of a breast cancer radiation therapy that dramatically reduces treatment time.

The treatment, previously tested in Italy on more than 100 patients, involves a high, single dose of radiation during lumpectomy surgery rather than six weeks of daily radiation treatments following surgery.

"The results of the European study are promising and our early results suggest that patients can tolerate the single higher dose well," said Dr. Frederick Dirbas.

Researchers said the first five women to receive the single-dose treatment at Stanford are healing normally and did not seem to experience more pain or scarring than with traditional therapy.

"We're very happy with the initial results of the trial," said Dirbas. "Recovery is indistinguishable from normal therapy."

Dirbas said that while the Stanford trial initially sought women with invasive breast cancer, it now is also accepting women with a pre-cancerous condition called ductal carcinoma in situ.

"The goal is to find the treatment with the least impact on the woman but with the best outcome," Dirbas said.

Other Sources: Stanford