Intraoperative radiation therapy for breast cancer patients: current perspectives

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) provides an attractive alternative to whole breast irradiation (WBI) through normal tissue radiation exposure and reduced treatment duration. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is a form of APBI with the shortest time interval, as it delivers the entirety of a planned radiation course at the time of breast surgery. However, faster is not always better, and IORT has been met with healthy skepticism. Patients treated with IORT have an increased compliance and overall satisfaction when compared to patients treated with WBI. However, early randomized trial results demonstrated an increased rate of recurrence after IORT, slowing its widespread adoption. Despite these controversies, IORT utilization is increasing nationally and several novel developments are aimed at continuing to minimize the risk of recurrence and treatment-related toxicity while maximizing the patient experience.