A ground-breaking approach to treating breast cancer with a single targeted shot of radiation has been approved by NICE for use within the NHS._3_0.jpg)
Intrabeam radiotherapy allows a single low-dose of radiation to be delivered during surgery avoiding the need for repeated visits to hospital for radiotherapy. Clinical trials have shown that cancer returned in less than five years in three per cent of women treated with Intrabeam compared with one per cent of women who had traditional radiotherapy. Overall survival rates five years after diagnosis was not significantly different. Side effects were similar in both groups but the Intrabeam patients had less radiotherapy toxicity and reported less pain.
Carole Longson, Director of Health Technology Evaluation at NICE stated that there is evidence to suggest that this type of radiotherapy was more convenient for patients and can improve quality of life.
NICE has, however, stipulated that doctors must fully inform patients of all their treatment choices so that they can make informed decisions, enter details about all of those treated with Intrabeam radiotherapy onto a national register, and audit, review and document clinical outcomes locally and consider the relationship between outcomes and patients’ characteristics.
Only six centres in the UK have administered Intrabeam radiation to date but it is estimated that nearly 36,000 patients could benefit from this treatment. Consultant Breast Surgeon Mr Jayant Vaidya, who collaborated on the development of this pioneering approach in the UK, explains how it works here.
