IORT
IORT (Intraoperative Radiation Therapy) is a radiation therapy technique
where a concentrated dose of radiation is delivered to a cancer tumor
site during surgery, after the tumor has been removed. Hoag was the first
hospital in Orange County to offer IORT as a complete replacement for
traditional radiation therapy.
With Intraoperative Radiation Therapy, radiation treatment takes place
during surgery and lasts about 8-20 minutes. This treatment utilizes a
skilled surgeon and Radiation Oncologist to lead both steps of the procedure.
In general, patients who receive IORT do not need other forms of radiation
therapy for care, eliminating the trouble of daily treatments for several
weeks. Unlike traditional radiation therapy, IORT uses a single radiation
dose and treats a more targeted area of breast tissue.
There are several benefits to IORT, including:
- The radiation dose is delivered directly to the tissue most likely to harbor
microscopic cancer
- Minimizes radiation exposure to normal, healthy surrounding tissue
- Provides simple, one-step treatment without hassle of radiation delivered
over weeks
- Helps to eliminate non-compliance (patients failing to complete 6-7 weeks
of radiation therapy)
Not all women are candidates for IORT, so please speak with your physician
about IORT. To schedule an appointment with a Hoag breast surgeon, please
call us at 949-764-5780.
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) Videos
Patient Perspective - IORT
Xoft IORT Procedure (Animation)