Have you heard about intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for the treatment of breast cancer? If you have been diagnosed with such a malignancy, this is one of the treatment options you should definitely focus on.

Studies have been carried out to assess the effectiveness of the technique. One of the large-scale clinical trials found out that the five-year survival rate for women undergoing IORT is 97.4 percent.

What’s IORT and Who is it Suitable for?

The term refers to the application of radiation while a breast cancer surgery is taking place. Thus, the patient will be getting two treatments at the same time for the purpose of eliminating the malignant tissue completely.

IORT breast cancer treatment in the Boca Raton area is mostly suitable for women whose breast cancer has been diagnosed during an early stage. When cancer spreads to nearby issues, a more thorough application of radiation may be required.

Why Consider IORT?

IORT brings many important benefits to the table.

For a start, the dose of radiation is much smaller than the one needed with conventional radiation therapy. The survival rate for women undergoing IORT and traditional radiation treatments is more or less the same. In the case of IORT, however, the much lower dosage will reduce the prominence of side effects.

The targeted application of radiation also reduces the risk of damage to the nearby tissues. It happens to be much less expensive and if another tumor is found in the area in the future, a patient can undergo another lumpectomy accompanied by radiation therapy.

In essence, IORT saves time (there will be no need for multiple radiation therapy sessions), it saves money and it offers patients convenience. Women over the age of 50 who have relatively small tumors are the patients who will experience the most prominent positive results from such a therapeutic approach.

The key to seeing the full range of the IORT benefits is choosing an experienced practitioner in the field. Dr. John Rimmer is one such practitioner. Call 561-748-1242 today to find out more about Dr. Rimmer’s experience and to schedule a first appointment.