title: Intraoperative radiation therapy as part of breast conserving therapy of early breast cancer-Results of one-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the therapeutic effect of intraoperative radiotherapy, describe the method, and examine the occurrence of side effects and quality of life.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Breast conserving therapy has recently become a standard treatment modality in patients with early invasive cancer. Radiotherapy, along with surgery, is an integral part of such treatment. The important thing of radiotherapy is to deliver a high dose to the tumour bed. One of the methods is the intraoperative radiotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis comprised sixty Tis-T2N0-1A breast cancer patients treated with breast conserving surgery. Patients' mean age was 57 years (range: 32-73 years). Intraoperative radiation therapy was delivered in the operating theatre during surgery and involved a single dose of 10 Gy with an electron beam of 4, 6, 9 or 12 MeV. After that, all patients were treated with whole breast irradiation. During one year observation photos and side effects examination were made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physical and imaging examinations performed during a one-year follow-up revealed no local or distant relapse and good tolerance of IORT. Acute mild responses to the radiotherapy occurred in 23.3% of patients. Based on the examination, a good and very good cosmetic effect was found in 78.3%, with 83.3% of patients evaluating their treatment effects in the same way.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to its exceptional physical and radiobiological properties, intraoperative radiation therapy can be a good alternative to other methods of boosting dose to the post-operative site in management of low stage breast cancer, enabling a precise therapy to the tumour bed.
authors.affiliation: Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Gynaecological Radiotherapy and Oncology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Zaneta
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wareńczak-Florczak
authors.affiliation: Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Gynaecological Radiotherapy and Oncology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland ; Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Department of Electroradiology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roszak
authors.affiliation: Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Gynaecological Radiotherapy and Oncology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bratos
authors.affiliation: Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences, Department of Electroradiology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland ; Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Radiation Oncology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milecki
authors.affiliation: Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Radiation Oncology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Aldona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karczewska-Dzionk
authors.affiliation: Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Department of Gynaecological Radiotherapy and Oncology, Garbary Street 15, 61-866 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Włodarczyk
keywords: Breast conserving therapy; Cosmetic effect; Intraoperative therapy; Side effects