Health

Study Says Many Women With Early Breast Cancer Might Not Need Chemo

According to a new study, about 70 percent of women diagnosed with one of the most common kinds of breast cancer can safely forgo chemo.

Study Says Many Women With Early Breast Cancer Might Not Need Chemo
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Researchers say many women with early-stage breast cancer might not need chemotherapy.

According to a new study published Sunday, about 70 percent of women diagnosed with one of the most common kinds of breast cancer can safely forgo chemo and opt for a safer treatment instead.

That type of breast cancer is hormone-sensitive, hasn't spread to the lymph nodes and doesn't contain the HER2 protein.

Researchers say the study could affect about 60,000 women a year in the U.S.

As one of the study's authors told The New York Times: "This is very powerful. It really changes the standard of care."

But as NBC points out, experts warn the findings might not apply to women who have larger tumors or those who have cancer that's started to spread.

According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.