Cancer patients often do better with less intensive treatment, new research finds

By CARLA K. JOHNSON
AP Medical Writer

Scaling back treatment for some cancers can make life easier for patients without hurting the outcomes. That’s what doctors are reporting this weekend at the world’s largest cancer conference in Chicago. The research is part of a long-term trend toward doing less — less surgery, less chemotherapy or less radiation — to see if it can help patients live longer and feel better. International cancer experts presented their findings for ovarian, esophageal cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.