Single-dose radiation treatment for breast cancer

If you've received a diagnosis of breast cancer in an early stage, your healthcare provider may offer an integrated treatment option that can save you time and give you peace of mind.

Intra-operative radiation therapy, or IORT, delivers a single, high dose of radiation at the same time as your lumpectomy. It is a precise, targeted radiation treatment that has been shown to be as effective as conventional, external radiation therapy.

IORT saves healthy tissue from exposure to radiation. It also eliminates the need for multiple sessions of traditional radiation treatment after surgery. That means less disruption to daily routines, less travel time and less stress normally associated with cancer treatment.

Targeted radiation delivered during surgery

Our surgical and radiation oncologists at Goshen Center for Cancer Care work together to combine radiation therapy with tumor removal. During surgery, the oncology team delivers localized, targeted radiation directly into the area where the tumor has been removed. The treatment significantly minimizes exposure of surrounding healthy tissue to radiation. It also lowers the risk of recurrence, since the radiation is targeted to the area of the breast that is most at risk for cancer to return.

Benefits of IORT

Oftentimes, patients with breast cancer receive some form of radiation as part of their treatment. For patients who qualify for IORT, this innovative therapy offers a host of benefits.

Saves time by eliminating multiple weeks of external radiation therapy after surgery
Reduces side effects compared with standard radiation
Spares healthy tissue surrounding the breast and nearby organs from radiation exposure

Criteria to qualify for IORT

We follow guidelines set by the American Society for Radiation Oncology to determine if IORT is an appropriate treatment option for a patient. Criteria include:

Patient age – over 50
Tumor size – not larger than 2 cm
Type of breast cancer – estrogen receptor positive

IORT is designed only for patients with early stage breast cancer who have surgery at Goshen Center for Cancer Care. For patients whose cancer has spread to lymph nodes, we follow a different course of treatment that may include traditional radiation therapy or even chemotherapy to first shrink the tumor, followed by surgery and radiation.

Innovative therapies unlike anywhere else

Our integrated approach stretches beyond the standard of care for patients with breast cancer. We offer a wide range of treatment options that we use alone or in combination with conventional and holistic medicines.

Surgery offers the greatest chance for diagnosis and cure of primary and metastatic breast cancer.
Chemotherapy and other medical oncology therapies destroy cancer cells, oftentimes with targeted approaches that cause less damage to normal, healthy cells.
Targeted radiation kills cancer cells and shrinks tumors, while avoiding healthy tissue.
Integrative therapies reduce stress, enhance the immune system and diminish the side effects of certain medical conditions and conventional treatments.
Diagnostic services help us detect the cancer, identify its stage and determine treatment options

Unparalleled expertise in one center

Our team of cancer experts is dedicated solely to treating patients who have cancer. These nationally recognized surgical, medical and radiation oncologists along with specialists in interventional radiation and integrative medicine work together in one group to build a treatment plan specifically for you. That means you come to one place for complete, comprehensive cancer care from diagnosis to treatment and support throughout your journey.

We can help

Whether you have just been diagnosed or you are looking for a second opinion, you can find help – and hope – here.

Find out more about our approach to treating cancer. Call (888) 492-(HOPE) to talk with our oncology information.