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Dr. Kim Mulvihill Reporting A major new study of breast cancer patients confirms that certain drug treatments can drastically reduce patients' risk of dying, and, in some, cases cut that risk in half.
Researchers led by Oxford University in England analyzed evidence from nearly 200 studies involving more than 145-thousand women with early-stage breast cancer. The 15-year long study of these patients shows traditional therapies are working to increase long term survival.
Researchers found the risk of death was cut in half in women with early stage breast cancer who underwent standard chemotherapy and hormone treatment. Survival benefits were seen across the board, in women with different types of breast cancer and different ages.
While this therapy has negative side effects, researchers say the effect of the combination therapy actually increased over time, even after the treatment was done.
Researchers believe the short-term risks are outweighed by the long term benefits of this therapy.
