Intraoperative Radiation Therapy

Intraoperative radiation therapy is radiation treatment delivered during surgery, directly in the operating room, to the tumor site while it remains exposed. It is typically combined with external beam radiation, chemotherapy and surgery as part of a multidisciplinary treatment plan, and is particularly valuable for locally advanced or recurrent cancers, though it is increasingly used in earlier-stage breast and prostate cancer as well; it has been applied to brain tumors, rectal cancer, skin cancer, retroperitoneal sarcoma, pancreatic cancer and gynecologic malignancies, and offers one of the few remaining options for patients whose cancer has recurred after previous radiation, since repeated full-dose external radiotherapy typically exceeds the tolerance of normal tissue. Regulatory bodies including the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and German cancer guidelines have recommended a specific intraoperative approach, TARGIT with Intrabeam technology, for certain early-stage breast cancers.