Experimental technique could shorten radiation time for breast cancer patients

CHICAGO (AP) -- A single, concentrated dose of radiation may be as effective as six straight weeks of treatment for women who have had a cancerous lump removed from a breast, preliminary research suggests.

The experimental treatment could make lumpectomy -- a breast-saving type of cancer surgery in which only the lump is removed -- available to many more women.

Many women who are diagnosed with early breast cancer decide against a lumpectomy because they cannot spend six weeks receiving daily radiation treatments, said Dr. Jayant Vaidya, a surgeon at University College London in England who led the study.

Mastectomies, or removal of the entire breast, typically do not require radiation. Mastectomies are often the only option for women who live far from cancer treatment centers or find the standard radiation schedule unworkable.