Intraoperative radiotherapy

Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has been available as an adjunct to cancer therapy for almost 35 years. Although the potential for defining a consistent role for IORT is great, the paucity of investigators that are committed to conducting prospective clinical trials with this modality has contributed to a lack of consensus regarding its usefulness.

Nevertheless, further refinements in the delivery of IORT have taken place over the past decade. Specifically, the development of a mobile IORT unit—known as the Mobetron—has generated a new wave of enthusiasm amongst surgical and radiation oncologists alike. To further define a clear role for IORT in the early part of the present millennium, an international consortium has been established to develop and perform prospective clinical trials.

The updates presented in this issue of the Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, all by dedicated IORT investigators, are a refreshing reminder of the opportunity to incorporate this adjunct into our anticancer armamentarium.