ATNEC Study

This study aims to find out whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy (chemotherapy that a person with cancer receives before their primary course of treatment) alone is just as good at treating breast cancer cells in the armpit as the current standard of care, which is neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus armpit treatment in patients with no remaining cancer in their lymph glands after chemotherapy. If neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone is just as effective as neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus extra armpit treatment, we could potentially stop patients receiving unnecessary armpit treatment and prevent some of the long-term side effects.

Which treatment will I receive?

You will be chosen at random, much like a coin toss, to either have no further treatment to armpit after surgery or have further treatment to armpit after surgery. This will be either srugery to removal of remaining lymph glands or treated to armpit with radiotherapy.

Who can take part?

People who have early stage breast cancer which has spread to the lymph gland in the armpit.

Please discuss with your doctor at your next appointment.

What do I need to do to take part?

Patients in both groups will be seen again by the research team every year, for 5 years. You will also complete a questionnaire. You will recieve normal NHS cancer care during this study.

Find out more

Visit study website to find out more