SAN ANTONIO (AP) — 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.