Surgical procedure boosts breast treatment

Monday June 8th, 2009

A simple procedure during surgery can make a big difference to a woman's chances of surviving breast cancer, researchers reported today.

The procedure, involving removal of lymph nodes, provides doctors with the best information about the state of the woman's disease - and how to treat it, according to experts.

The new British research suggests that women have the best survival chances if they are treated in hospitals where more than 90 per cent of women have these tests.

The procedure is officially backed in Britain by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence but in some hospitals is only performed in 81 per cent of cases.

The research, published in the Annals of Oncology, involved more than 9,000 women treated in ten hospitals in the east of England.

Researcher Professor Stephen Duffy said: "Although survival rates for breast cancer are very good in hospitals we studied in the East of England, rivalling the best in Europe, we have found that there is still room for improvement.

"One reason why survival varied between the hospitals for women under 70 was whether they had their lymph nodes removed and examined.

"Another is screening as we know from previous studies that women have a much better chance of survival if their tumour is picked up at an early stage. We would encourage all women to attend screening when invited."

Another researcher Professor Gordon Wishart said: "Lymph node staging and hormone receptor typing give valuable information to decide on optimal treatment after surgery.

"As more hospitals follow current professional guidelines and carry out these investigations, more effective treatment will follow and patient survival is likely to improve even further."

Tags: Cancer | NHS | UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology

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