About IORT
Breast IORT is a treatment for patients undergoing a lumpectomy (removal of tumor from the breast) that delivers a concentrated dose of radiation to the tumor site during surgery. A small inflatable balloon is placed into the surgical cavity or area of the breast where the tumor was removed. Radiation is then delivered for as little as eight minutes. The balloon is then removed, and the surgical incision is closed.
Benefits include:
- Shortened treatment time – Delivery of radiation during surgery eliminates the need for five to seven weeks of post-operative radiation.
- Healthier for surrounding tissue – Radiation is targeted directly to the tumor site and is shielded by the balloon, allowing a higher dose to be delivered to the tumor while sparing surrounding tissues and organs.
- Reduced risk of recurrence – Direct delivery of a higher dose to the tumor site is proven to reduce the risk of recurrence and can be as effective as 10-20 traditional radiation treatments.
A major clinical trial, TARGIT-A, studied over 2,000 patients receiving IORT or standard radiation treatment. The study measured how often the cancer returned and determined that both therapies were almost equally effective. 1 Another more recent study of 78 patients treated with IORT found that zero had recurrence of breast cancer.
Reference: 1. TARGIT-A Trial performed with Intrabeam System.
