New research: Some women may be able to safely skip certain breast cancer treatments

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In this Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013 photo, chemotherapy is administered to a cancer patient via intravenous drip at Duke Cancer Center in Durham, N.C. New research reported Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013 at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium may help tens of thousands of women each year avoid being overtreated for breast cancer. Doctors have identified groups of patients who might be able to skip certain therapies without seriously harming their survival odds. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

SAN ANTONIO – New research says tens of thousands of women each year might be able to skip at least some of the grueling treatments for breast cancer without greatly harming their odds of survival.

The research is aimed at curbing overtreatment, a big problem in cancer care.

Breast cancer treatments include surgery, radiation, heavy chemo, hormones or some combination.

But those can be expensive and traumatic and can cause lifelong problems such as arm swelling, heart troubles and even new cancers.

One of the new studies suggests that many women 65 and older can skip radiation after surgery for early-stage tumors.

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