Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT)

Intraoperative radiation therapy is an elegant form of radiation. We deliver this into the surgical cavity at the time of your cancer's surgical removal

Intraoperative Radiation Therapy uses a special type of radiation therapy machine. This machine can deliver the required radiation dose during the surgical procedure.  

What we use Intraoperative Radiation Therapy for 

IORT is only for certain older and lower risk breast cancer patients. 

What Intraoperative Radiation Therapy means for you 

We deliver IORT during surgery. We then deliver it following the surgical removal of the breast cancer. Treatment usually occurs in one treatment. It takes about 10 minutes during the operation itself. Usually, we only deliver radiation therapy to the breast after the operation. This would involve daily treatment over three to six weeks.  

The IORT Team 

The Moorabbin campus radiation therapy site delivers IORT. 

A team of specialists will plan and deliver IORT. This team includes radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and medical physicists. It also includes the surgical team. IORT offers an exciting potential treatment. We explore this treatment's effectiveness and side effects in our clinical trials. 

Please speak with your doctor to see if IORT is the right treatment choice for you.

Related links

Intraoperative radiotherapy: review of techniques and results