Abstract

In The Lancet Oncology, Linda J Williams and colleagues present data from the 30-year update of the Scottish Breast Conservation Trial (SCT) comparing radiotherapy versus no radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in women with operable early breast cancer. 1 Williams LJ Kunkler IH Taylor KJ et al. Postoperative radiotherapy in women with early operable breast cancer (Scottish Breast Conservation Trial): 30-year update of a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2024; (published online Aug 7.)https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00347-4 Google Scholar Briefly, local control (measured as ipsilateral breast tumour recurrence) was significantly better with radiotherapy versus without radiotherapy; however, this effect was only apparent within the first 10 years of follow-up, and there was no further benefit in the 20 subsequent years (hazard ratio [HR] 0·98 [95% CI 0·54–1·79]). Importantly, overall survival was not affected by the addition of radiotherapy to appropriate systemic treatment (HR 1·08 [95% CI 0·89–1·30], log-rank p=0·43). Postoperative radiotherapy in women with early operable breast cancer (Scottish Breast Conservation Trial): 30-year update of a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial