Intraoperative Radiation Therapy

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is currently a breast cancer treatment technique that delivers radiation treatment at the same time as lumpectomy surgery. The radiation dose is delivered to an exposed tumor bed while surrounding healthy tissue is moved aside and spared from high dose radiation. The entire dose of radiation needed often can be given in one treatment, which may take from 20 to 60 minutes. This technology is being used in Europe, Asia, and in United States. Patients who participated in trials of breast IORT had low-grade, invasive or intraductal, early-stage breast cancer, with no lymph node involvement and clear surgical margins treated with lumpectomy. Most participants were 50 years and older.

The advantages of IORT may include fewer patient appointments and decreased risk of skin affected by treatment. The challenges of IORT include complex workflow during surgery needing careful coordination between surgeons and radiation oncologists. We have had excellent results in hundreds of well selected patients that mirror outcomes in the international trials. Longer term results are being awaited. Other cancers that may benefit from IORT include rectal cancer, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and soft tissue sarcomas.