Purpose of Technology

For intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), a single high dose of radiation is given to the tumor bed at the time of breast-conserving surgery in patients with early-stage breast cancer, which has not spread beyond the breast or lymph nodes in the armpit of the affected side. IORT is an alternative to several weeks of postoperative external-beam radiotherapy, which destroys residual cancer cells and reduces the likelihood of tumor recurrence.   

Relevant Questions

  • Is single-fraction IORT/IOERT at least as effective as standard EBRT for controlling local tumor recurrence in patients undergoing BCS for early-stage breast cancer?

  • Is single-fraction IORT/IOERT at least as effective as standard EBRT in terms of long-term outcomes such as disease-free survival and breast cancer mortality in these patients?

  • Is IORT/IOERT safe, and how does its complication rate compare with standard EBRT?

  • Have definitive patient selection criteria been established for IORT/IOERT for patients with early-stage breast cancer?

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