For some patients, INTRABEAM IORT® Could be the Alternative to Six Weeks of Radiation after Lumpectomy
Another Breast Cancer First From MedStar Health
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center are the only Washington, D.C. metropolitan hospitals currently offering this treatment.
INTRABEAM Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT), is a single-dose radiation alternative for women with early stage breast cancer. Standard treatment can involve five to six weeks of treatment. But with INTRABEAM, there is a single dose delivered in the operating room immediately following a lumpectomy, a procedure which saves the breast and just removes the tumor from within the breast.
Radiation therapy is used to kill cancer cells, while minimizing damage to healthy cells. It is usually given to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence after breast surgery and sometimes after a mastectomy, the surgical removal of the breast.
INTRABEAM IORT has several advantages:
- A single, low-energy radiation dose is delivered internally to the tumor site during the surgical procedure.
- Healthy tissue is exposed to less radiation.
- This treatment is patient-focused, reducing travel time, physical and psychological stress, and time away from work and family.
Now, with INTRABEAM IORT, women in the Washington, D.C. region have the choice of breast-sparing treatment (lumpectomy), without the hassle of five to six weeks of radiation.
If you are considering a mastectomy because you don’t want the hassle of five to six weeks of radiation treatment, ask your doctor if a breast-sparing lumpectomy and INTRABEAM IORT might be right for you.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| STEP 1. INTRABEAM therapy is delivered during breast cancer surgery. | STEP 2. After the surgeon removes the tumor, the radiation oncologist positions the INTRABEAM applicator precisely into the excision site. | STEP 3. Low-energy radiation is delivered locally, minimizing exposure to healthy tissue. | Step 4. Following a 20 to 30 minutes treatment, the applicator is removed. The surgeon closes the incision, and the patent s brought to the recovery room. |
INTRABEAM IORT is now available at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
