Pancreatic Cancer Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT)
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Video: IORT Treatment
Dr. Dean Conterato, a radiation oncologist at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, discusses Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT). He explains how this innovative cancer treatment is used in conjunction with surgery.IORT Treatment
Dr. Dean Conterato, a radiation oncologist at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, discusses Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT). He explains how this innovative cancer treatment is used in conjunction with surgery.
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) has added intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) to its state-of-the-art radiation therapy program. IORT allows pancreatic cancer patients to receive a single, powerful dose of radiation directly to a tumor site during surgery, such as a Whipple procedure.
Typically, standard radiation therapy involves five days a week of treatment, for a total of five to six weeks. With IORT, our radiation oncologists can deliver a similar dose of radiation in a single treatment session, while also preserving more healthy tissue. This helps to reduce side effects and minimize the time spent going back and forth to the hospital for radiation treatments.
A patient must be a surgical candidate in order to be eligible for IORT. Also, this treatment is generally reserved for individuals with early stage disease.
Advantages of IORT
Intraoperative radiation therapy is a multidisciplinary treatment option that offers the following potential advantages:
- Maximum effect, while minimizing recurrence. IORT delivers a concentrated dose of radiation to a tumor site immediately after a tumor is removed, helping to destroy the microscopic tumor cells that may be left behind.
- Spares healthy tissues and organs. During intraoperative radiation therapy, a precise radiation dose is applied while shielding healthy tissues or structures that could be damaged using other techniques.
- Shortened treatment times. IORT helps patients finish treatment and get back to their lives quicker by reducing the need for additional radiation treatments. The IORT treatment itself takes about four to five minutes.
- A "boost" for traditional radiation patients. Patients who must receive additional radiation therapy following surgery can receive a boost of radiation with IORT.
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