Radiation fails to improve survival in some breast cancers, study finds

We all know that radiation therapy has long been a standard treatment for breast cancer patients since the beginning of the 20th century.

A new study has emerged whose findings have indicated that it does not significantly improve survival for women with early-stage cancer at a moderate risk level.

The study findings, which are based on the trial results, appeared on Wednesday, November 05, 2025, in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study conducted trials on patients from seven countries in continental Europe, United Kingdom, Israel, and Turkiye which speaks volumes of its significance.

“The findings potentially allow patients to avoid unnecessary treatments, leading to more effective and efficient use of health and care resources,” according to John Simpson, who leads a UK government group to analyze the clinical trials.

A late-stage trial examined survival rates over a decade for more than 1,600 breast cancer patients, who had undergone treatments such as mastectomy, lymph node surgery, and systemic therapy including chemotherapy.

Researchers discovered that patients at “intermediate risk” of recurrence-defined as stage II cancer with 1-3 affected lymph nodes or aggressive tumors with no lymph node involvement—had almost the same survival rates whether or not they received chest wall radiation.

After a median follow-up of 9.6 years, scientists found that survival rates were 81.4 percent for patients who received radiation and 81.9 percent for those who did not.