Intraoperative Radiation Therapy

Available at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Eastern Regional Medical Center (the first hospital in the country to have this):
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT), using the Novac 7 technology from Italy, is a breakthrough option that allows doctors to treat breast cancer patients with one powerful does of radiation instead of the current average of six weeks. Eastern is the first hospital in the nation to offer this particular mobile linear accelerator from Rome which allows radiation to be delivered in the operating room at the time of surgery.

IORT allows patients to receive radiation treatment, delivered with the same power and precision as other advanced radiation techniques often without any additional outpatient radiation treatment visits, and with fewer side effects. IORT also offers patients better cosmetic results and improved quality of life as the need for additional radiation treatment is minimized or eliminated altogether. Paramount in the process is that the Novac 7 is brought to the patient in the OR instead of having to transport the patient during surgery to a nearby suite, a procedure that has been done in the past with increased risk to the patient.

Studies in Europe indicate that breast cancer patients who underwent IORT experienced similar outcomes as those women treated with the conventional five to six weeks of radiation.

While IORT will first be used to treat breast cancer patients at Eastern, it will also be considered for many patients battling other cancer types including: head and neck, stomach, pancreas, rectum, gynecological, prostate and soft tissue sarcomas. However, for disease types other than breast cancer, IORT will likely be a "boost," and some external beam radiation treatments will still be needed.