Intraoperative irradiation: a pilot study combining external beam photons with "boost" dose intraoperative electrons.
Intraoperative "boost" dose electron beam therapy given in combination with 4500--5000 rad (45--50 Gray) external beam irradiation has been demonstrated as a practical therapeutic modality at the MGH. This procedure has been employed thus far in 58 patients; the results in the initial 36 are analyzed in detail in this paper. Thirty-four of the 36 patients had locally advanced lesions--unresectable, recurrent, or residual disease. Results achieved to date are in full agreement with our expectations: high radiation doses have been delivered to the primary intra-abdominal and pelvic tumors, excluding the sensitive structures from irradiation. This has been accomplished by a truly multidisciplinary effort comprising surgery, anesthesiology, OR nursing, administration, engineers, physicists, therapy technologists, and radiation therapists. Although follow-up is not yet sufficient to judge ultimate efficacy, acute and chronic severe morbidity is low and local control is good. There is justified enthusiasm for continuing the procedure.
D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*