This week's artwork was donated by Gavin, a pediatric cancer patient who received treatment at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia . In addition, the efficacy of chemotherapy has been proven in large randomized trials. Chemotherapy is now prescribed for a majority of breast cancer patients.
Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy electromagnetic waves to kill cancer cells.
Unlike chemotherapy which travels throughout the whole body, radiotherapy only kills cancer cells in spots where the radiation beam is aimed. One of the controversies in breast cancer is whether or not the combination of two local therapies will help not only to improve local control but also overall survival. Both trials found that the addition of radiotherapy following mastectomy improves both local tumor control and survival. The Canadian study found the relative risk of dying from breast cancer 15 years after diagnosis was reduced by nearly one third when radiotherapy was utilized in the treatment. Both studies examined only women who were at high risk for local and distant recurrence.