Surgical removal of axillary lymph nodes with the option of "extended surgery" or "radiotherapy" in breast cancer patients with existing lymph node involvement in the armpit.
Aim of the study
The study investigates the effectiveness of radiotherapy compared to surgical treatment of breast cancer affecting the lymph nodes in the armpit. We are conducting this study to find the most effective treatment with the fewest side effects.
Who can take part?
Patients with breast cancer and lymph node involvement in the armpit
Procedure
If you take part in this study, you will be assigned to one of two groups (50% of the participants in each group), depending on the lot. The first group undergoes extensive surgical removal of the axillary lymph nodes. This corresponds to the current standard treatment outside of a clinical trial, with the second group receiving radiotherapy of the armpit instead of surgery. This therapy may be equally effective and cause fewer side effects. If the benefits of radiotherapy are confirmed in this study, it could become the new standard treatment for patients with this disease.
Compensation
None
Original study name
Tailored axillary surgery with or without axillary lymph node dissection followed by radiotherapy in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer (TAXIS). A multicenter, randomized phase III study
BASEC number
2018-00838
Financial support from
Swiss Association for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK)