Chandigarh, Sept. 8 -- A trial conducted by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has shown that high-risk breast cancer patients can complete radiotherapy in just one week instead of the standard two, reducing hospital visits and waiting time without compromising safety or results. The five-year study, titled "Hypofractionated Adjuvant Radiotherapy in 1 versus 2 weeks in High-Risk Patients with Breast Cancer (HYPART): Acute Toxicity Results", analysed 941 patients with stage 2 and 3 breast cancer, aged 21 to 75 years. After surgery, breast cancer patients need radiotherapy. Most Indian hospitals, including AIIMS Delhi, follow a three-week standard, but PGIMER has been offering a two-week radiotherapy schedule since 2015, achieving equal results. The new trial tested whether treatment could further be compressed into a week. Patients in the one-week protocol received five longer sittings instead of the usual 10, with radiation time slightly higher in each session. The findings showed that the one-week regimen was equally effective and in some cases better tolerated. For instance, fewer patients reported difficulty in swallowing compared with the two-week schedule. Other short-term side effects such as neck pain, skin reactions and arm swelling were comparable in both groups. Between 2021 and 2024, the PGIMER radiotherapy and oncology department treated 3,175 breast cancer patients. Dr Budhi Singh Yadav, professor in the radiotherapy and oncology department, said of all breast cancer patients, around 50% require surgery, followed by radiotherapy. "One-week radiotherapy showing equal results as those of two weeks would mean fewer hospital visits and faster treatment, especially for those travelling long distances. It also helps reduce waiting times," he said. Dr Yadav detailed that a decade ago, international studies showed that breast cancer radiotherapy could be safely completed in three weeks. Later, shorter schedules of two to three days were also tried, but largely in patients with low-risk, early-stage disease. The HYPART trial, by contrast, included high-risk patients, making it one of only three studies worldwide to test a one-week schedule in this group. "The study involved the use of a simple treatment technique for RT that is feasible in most developing countries that are not using high-end machines and treatment techniques. The study analysed the short-term impact, but long-term results of one-week radiotherapy schedule are yet to be studied," said Dr Yadav. The research, published in Elsevier, a leading scientific publisher, on August 6, was conducted by PGIMER's departments of radiotherapy, oncology and general surgery in collaboration with Dr RP Government Medical College, Tanda, Himachal Pradesh; Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai; JIPMER, Puducherry; and Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh....