Researchers are continuously working on making radiotherapy safer and more effective and identifying when radiotherapy can be avoided without affecting the chances of survival for patients. As one example, a recent clinical trial showed that older adult patients with small, early-stage breast cancer may forgo radiation after breast conserving surgery without compromising their overall survival (376). Traditionally, in these patients, surgery has been followed with radiotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. However, radiotherapy can lead to a range of potential side effects including pain, minor risks of organ damage and secondary cancer, as well as time and financial losses. Adverse effects are especially challenging for older adults, many of whom have other comorbidities. The new evidence provides these patients with the option for a less aggressive course of action. Another clinical trial showed that radiation therapy before initial surgery may not be needed for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer that has spread locally within the rectum but not to other organs (377). Traditionally, these patients receive radiation combined with chemotherapy, also known as chemoradiotherapy, before surgical removal of their tumors. Chemoradiotherapy shrinks the tumor making it easier to remove and helping to prevent recurrence. Data from the recent clinical trial showed that chemotherapy alone before Commonly Used Terms and Benchmarks in Clinical Studies ADJUVANT THERAPY An anticancer therapy that is administered after surgery to eradicate as many residual cancer cells as possible. COMPLETE RESPONSE Absence of cancer detectable by any available methods, such as imaging. DURATION OF RESPONSE Time from documentation of disease response to disease progression. MEDIAN SURVIVAL The length of time from either the date of cancer diagnosis or the start of treatment that half of the patients in a group of patients diagnosed with the disease are still alive. NEOADJUVANT THERAPY An anticancer therapy that is administered before surgery to reduce the tumor size. OBJECTIVE RESPONSE RATE Percentage of patients whose disease decreases (partial response) and/or disappears (complete response) after treatment. OVERALL RESPONSE RATE Proportion of patients with reduction in disease burden of a predefined amount. OVERALL SURVIVAL Time from start of the clinical study until death from any cause. PLACEBO A substance that has no therapeutic effect and is used as a control (i.e., comparison group) when testing new drugs. PROGRESSION-FREE SURVIVAL Time from start of the clinical study until disease progression or death. RECURRENT OR RELAPSED CANCER Cancer that has come back or recurred, usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. REFRACTORY DISEASE Cancer that does not respond to treatment. Also called resistant cancer. RESPONSE RATE Measurement of disease size, usually using a scan or X-ray. Typically reflected as the percentage of patients whose cancer shrinks or disappears after treatment. STANDARD OF CARE Treatment that is accepted by medical experts as a proper treatment for a certain type of cancer and that is widely used by health care professionals. Also called best practice, standard medical care, and standard therapy. In some randomized trials testing a new treatment, the comparison group is the standard of care treatment. SYSTEMIC THERAPY Any type of cancer treatment that targets the entire body, for example, chemotherapy. Search... SIDEBAR 32 AACR Cancer Progress Report 2023 Advancing the Frontiers of Cancer Science and Medicine 80
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