This study investigated whether women who were treated with certain chemotherapies in childhood have a higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life. The insights gained from this can be used to detect and treat breast cancer more quickly and thus increase the chances of recovery.
Lay Summary of the Study
What did the study want to find out?
This international study, with contributions from Switzerland, looked at whether people who received certain chemotherapies (known as anthracyclines, like doxorubicin) during childhood are at higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life. The goal was to determine if these women need specialized breast cancer screenings.
Why is this important?
The findings from this study help identify which women should start breast cancer screenings at an earlier age. Early screening can lead to quicker detection and more effective treatment of breast cancer.
What did the study do exactly?
The study looked at nearly 18,000 medical records of childhood cancer survivors from Europe and the U.S. Researchers wanted to find out how many women developed breast cancer later in life and which factors influenced this.
What did the study find out and what does this mean?
Around 4% of the women developed breast cancer after surviving childhood cancer. The risk was higher for those who had been treated with doxorubicin, especially at high doses. The risk was even greater for those who also received radiation therapy to the chest.
These results suggest that breast cancer screening guidelines should be updated to consider these increased risks. Women treated with high doses of doxorubicin should start regular breast cancer screenings at an earlier age.
Reference: Wang Y, Ronckers CM, van Leeuwen FE, et al. Subsequent female breast cancer risk associated with anthracycline chemotherapy for childhood cancer. Nat Med. 2023. 29, 2268–2277. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02514-1.
You can find the full article in English here.
Contact:
Nicolas Waespe (nicolas.waespe@unibe.ch)