More women being cured of cancer, says report
New treatments are improving cancer cure rates for women in Ireland, according to a report published today.
A review of treatments for breast, cervical and ovarian cancers shows advances could boost survival rates significantly and reduce the risk of recurrence.
Geraldine Luddy, director of the Women’s Health Council, which carried out the study, said it gives patients a guide to the best medical options currently available.
“However, decisions on the best treatments are complex and it is important that people know that some treatments are only effective depending on the type of cancer and the woman’s individual profile,” she said.
The report found that radiotherapy after surgery cuts the risk of local recurrence of breast cancer by two thirds, and this should be started as soon as possible after operating.
Advances in intra-operative radiotherapy are encouraging while chemotherapy success appears to be greater in younger breast cancer patients.
Hormone therapy and biological therapy are effective treatments for some types of breast cancer, according to the review of bio-medical evidence.
Radiotherapy was found to be highly effective in relieving symptoms in 50-80% of patients with symptomatic ovarian cancer.
Research is ongoing on using genes to predict which women would respond better to chemotherapy or alternative treatments, and on the use of hormone therapy and biological therapy for ovarian cancer.
For cervical cancer, chemoradiation – chemotherapy and radiotherapy together - improves survival by 10% compared to treatment with radiotherapy alone, it was found.
However the adverse effects associated with this type of treatment are greater.
It was also revealed that patients in the early stages of cervical cancer can be treated with either surgery or radiotherapy with equal effectiveness.
John McCormack, chief executive officer of Irish Cancer Society, praised the release of the treatment guide.
“This valuable review conducted by the Women’s Health Council is an excellent source of information on current treatment options for individuals who are directly or indirectly affected by these cancers,” he said.
Breast, cervical and ovarian cancers are among the ten most common cancers affecting women.
This is especially the case in Ireland which has a relatively high mortality rate compared to other Western European countries, according to the report.
It is available from the Women’s Health Council or by logging onto their website at www.whc.ie.
The Women’s Health Council was set up in 1997 to advise the Health Minister on all aspects of women’s health.
