Older patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who did not receive radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery had higher rates of local recurrence but similar 10-year survival rates when compared to patients who received postoperative radiation therapy, according to updated 10-yeardata from the PRIME II study, presented during General Session 2 at SABCS 20 on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
“Over half the patients diagnosed with breast cancer in developed countries are over the age of 65 years,” said Ian Kunkler, FRCPE, professor of clinical oncology at the Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh. Despite the less aggressive breast cancers typically diagnosed in this population, most patients who undergo breast-conserving surgery continue to be treated with whole breast radiation therapy after surgery, he explained. “We were interested in determining whether older patients with low-risk breast cancer could be spared radiation therapy.”