For older women with breast cancer, brachytherapy offers lower rate of breast preservation compared to standard radiation

When comparing treatments designed to enable long-term breast preservation for older women with invasive breast cancer, researchers found those treated with brachytherapy were at higher risk for a later mastectomy, compared to women treated with standard radiation therapy. The research was led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.The findings, published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, are the first to provide a direct comparison of breast brachytherapy against a lumpectomy alone control group and an external beam radiation therapy control group (EBRT).