Breast cancer patients to get new quick radiotherapy treatment
Thousands of breast cancer patients will benefit from more convenient 20-minute one-off dose of radiotherapy after the NHS drugs rationing body approved a new technique, The Telegraph reported.
Intrabeam radiotherapy allows a one-off low-dose to be delivered directly into the wound area during surgery avoiding the need for repeated visits to hospital for radiotherapy in the following weeks.
It is thought that the new treatment is as successful as traditional radiotherapy but the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said women should be warned that their cancer may be more likely to return following Intrabeam.
However draft guidance from Nice said that women should be given the choice of having Intrabeam once they have been told of the pros and cons.