Dr Jimenez on the Radiation Treatment Paradigm in Breast Cancer

Rachel Jimenez, MD, chair, Quality and Safety, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, associate professor, Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School, discusses unmet needs in radiation treatment for patients with breast cancer.

In an interview with OncLive® at the 41st Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference, Jimenez highlighted recent updates in radiation oncology, as well as the importance of personalized treatment. Jimenez begins by stating that in the realm of radiation therapy, the traditional treatment approach has been to apply a somewhat standardized dose regimen for patients with breast cancer. However, there's a growing realization that, similar to systemic therapy, radiation treatment can be customized to better suit individual patients, she states, adding that this entails delivering appropriate doses to specific areas for each patient. Although there's still progress to be made before these tailored approaches can be fully implemented into clinical practice, efforts are underway to identify which patients truly require radiation and to determine the optimal dosage for each case, Jimenez explains.

Currently, several clinical trials are underway utilizing established genomic signatures, which are commonly used in clinical settings to guide systemic therapy decisions, to assist in determining whether certain patients can safely forgo radiation treatment, Jimenez expands. Although definitive data outside of these trials are limited, there is considerable interest in and ongoing recruitment to these trials, she elucidates. Additionally, emerging radio signatures are designed specifically to assess the efficacy of radiation therapy, radio says. Although these radio signatures are increasingly being integrated into clinical trials, they are still in the early stages of development and not yet ready for widespread adoption, Jimenez highlights.

Despite these advancements, unmet needs remain in this area, she continues. Although progress in radio signatures has been made, further validation through clinical trials is necessary to accurately determine which patients would benefit most from specific radiation doses and techniques, Jimenez concludes.