UK TRIAL TESTS FIVE-DAY BREAST CANCER RADIOTHERAPY FOR OVER 1,000 PATIENTS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
More than 1,000 people have enrolled in a government-funded clinical trial in the United Kingdom to test whether breast cancer radiotherapy can be shortened from three weeks to five days.
The proposed treatment could save patients up to 10 hospital visits while potentially reducing the burden of treatment on patients and the National Health Service.
The FAST-Forward Boost trial, being conducted at 39 hospitals across the UK, will assess whether a shorter course of radiotherapy combined with an additional targeted dose, known as a boost, can help prevent breast cancer from returning.
The UK Department of Health and Social Care disclosed this in a statement on Friday, describing the initiative as part of efforts to improve cancer treatment and patient support.
The trial is led by the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and funded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
According to the department, the trial aims to recruit 4,830 participants by 2028, with those enrolled to be monitored for five years. Results are expected in 2033.
It said a successful outcome could reduce patients’ travel expenses and time away from work and family, while creating additional capacity within the NHS to treat more people.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the trial demonstrated how the UK was deploying its research capabilities to improve cancer treatment.
“This trial shows how the UK is using our world beating research capabilities to pursue huge improvements and transformations in cancer treatment for patients,” she said.
Cooper added that the programme was designed to reduce breast cancer treatment time and improve patient care.
The announcement comes amid renewed government efforts to improve breast cancer screening, early diagnosis and support for patients.
The department said breast screening uptake among women receiving their first invitation had risen to 63.6 per cent, the highest level in a decade.
However, around four in 10 women invited for the first time do not attend screening.
The government is also working with the National Institute for Health and Care Research and NHS England on trials involving artificial intelligence to support the analysis of mammograms.
Additionally, it has partnered with Breast Cancer Now for three years to help women recognise breast cancer symptoms and access reliable information and support after treatment.
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