Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital introduces intraoperative radiation therapy for breast cancer patients

Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital is now offering intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for breast cancer patients, a significant advancement that drastically reduces treatment duration. Previously, patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery required 25 to 35 sessions of post-operative whole-breast radiation therapy to minimize the risk of local recurrence. This lengthy process often involved considerable time, travel costs, and increased burdens on family caregivers.

The new IORT equipment allows radiation oncologists to deliver a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor bed immediately after the tumor is surgically removed and the margins are confirmed. This entire process takes only about 20 to 30 minutes, effectively completing the radiation therapy during the surgery itself. This approach not only saves patients the extensive time and travel associated with traditional radiation therapy but also minimizes radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissues, including the heart and lungs.

This innovative treatment is particularly beneficial for early-stage breast cancer patients who meet specific criteria. These typically include older patients with smaller tumors (usually under 2-3 cm), hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative cancers, no lymph node metastasis, and a single lesion with a good pre-operative imaging assessment. While IORT offers substantial advantages, it is not suitable for all patients. Those with high-risk factors identified after surgery, such as insufficient margins or lymph node involvement, may still require additional whole-breast radiation therapy.

International clinical studies have shown that for carefully selected low-risk early-stage breast cancer patients, IORT provides excellent local control rates and overall survival. The Kaohsiung hospital's adoption of this technology reflects a growing trend towards more personalized and efficient cancer treatments, aiming to improve patient convenience and quality of life while maintaining high therapeutic efficacy. The decision to use IORT is made by a multidisciplinary team, ensuring that the treatment is tailored to the individual patient's needs.

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The biggest feature of IORT is that radiation therapy is completed during surgery. Since the radiation directly acts on the area most prone to recurrence, it can avoid excessive irradiation of the skin and surrounding normal tissues, and reduce the chance of radiation affecting important organs such as the heart and lungs.