Short-Time Outcome of Intraoperative Radiotherapy (IORT): A Study on Side-Effects and Quality of Life in the Treatment of Early Breast Cancer
Pages 237-245
Caroline Page, Pierre-Alain Brioschi and Jacques Bernier

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-2279.2013.02.04.2

Published: 31 October 2013

Abstract: Early prospective studies recently demonstrated the non-inferiority of intraoperative radiotherapy compared to protracted external radiotherapy in selected patients. The present study aims at analyzing, in a cohort of 80 women, the distribution and incidence of short-time side-effects induced by intraoperative radiotherapy as well as its impact on patient’s quality of life in the months following the treatment. No side-effect was found in the majority of patients (n: 46; 58%). Out of those 32 patients experiencing side-effects after IORT, 26 cases (81%) were found to develop only mild effects. More than 94% of the patients declared to consider IORT as a clear advantage over external radiotherapy in the armamentarium of breast cancer treatment.