title: Intraoperative radiation therapy with electrons (ELIOT) in early-stage breast cancer.
abstract: Local recurrences after breast-conserving surgery occur mostly in the quadrant harbouring primary carcinoma. The main objective of postoperative radiotherapy should be the sterilisation of residual cancer cells in the operative area while irradiation of the whole breast may be avoided. We have developed a new technique of intraoperative radiotherapy of a breast quadrant after the removal of the primary carcinoma (ELIOT). A mobile linear accelerator with a robotic arm is utilised delivering electron beams able to produce energies from 3 to 9 MeV. Different dose levels were tested from 10 to 21 Gy without important side effects. A randomized trial is currently ongoing in order to compare conventional irradiation and ELIOT. More than 400 patients have been enrolled. In addition a new approach for nipple and areola complex conservation, including ELIOT, is under investigation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Therapy, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. roberto.orecchia@ieo.it
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orecchia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciocca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lazzari
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garibaldi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Intra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Veronesi
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D012371:Robotics