Our intraoperative boost radiotherapy experience and applications.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Breast conserving surgery (BCS) is a standard treatment for breast cancer.
• Local recurrence remains a concern after BCS.
• Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) offers a way to deliver radiation boost during surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present experience with intraoperative boost radiotherapy (IObRT) since November 2013.
• To define case selection criteria for IObRT in breast cancer patients undergoing BCS.
• To evaluate the impact of IObRT on local recurrence rates.

Main Methods:

• Patients selected for BCS were evaluated for IObRT suitability.
• A mobile linear accelerator (MOBETRON) was used for IObRT during surgery.
• Specific patient criteria included age (<60), tumor size (<3 cm), histologic grade (2-3), and high local recurrence risk.

Main Results:

• IObRT was applied to selected breast cancer patients undergoing BCS.
• The procedure involved lumpectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, flap preparation, and targeted radiation (10 Gy electron beam).
• No major postoperative surgical or early radiotherapy-related complications were observed.

Conclusions:

• IObRT during surgery is an effective local therapy for breast cancer.
• It positively influences the sequencing of adjuvant treatments like chemotherapy and hormonotherapy.
• IObRT improves disease-free survival, overall survival, and quality of life.