intraoperative radiotherapy

The IMOR Institute , a medical center in Barcelona specializing in brachytherapy and oncorradiotherapy, was the first in the peninsula to apply intraoperative radiotherapy with INTABEAM® technology to a patient suffering from breast cancer.. Technique that allows you to accurately treat the area where there is a greater risk of cancer reproducing.

The intervention was last March and was made to a patient of icdsalud of the Clínica del Pilar, with technology INTABEAM® Zeiss System , an innovative low-energy X-ray equipment, whose implantation in Spain is novel, although it has been for years uses routinely in other countries in Europe.

The international research group Targit has studied this method of administering radiotherapy for breast cancer since 1998, and the results of the trial show that the total number of recurrences is very low.

Unlike other treatments, it stands out because radiation is applied directly in the tumor bed , to open tissue, at the time of surgery after removing the tumor. For this reason it has advantages in effectiveness and accuracy, since it allows to treat with precision the area where there is a higher risk of the cancer reproducing, with a depth of between 1 and 2 centimeters and without damaging adjacent healthy tissue.

Applying intraoperative radiotherapy can reduce the radiation time after the usual, which is usually six weeks. Even in the case of patients with a low risk profile, it can be suppressed. Also, the application of this technique has advantages for patients in the physical and psychological aspects, and also has advantages in terms of saving time and costs, since it decreases the number of trips to the hospital.

The Institut IMOR is a reference center in oncological treatments. Apart from intraoperative radiotherapy, it is a pioneer in Spain in techniques such as image-guided radiotherapy or brachytherapy. Serves a number of foreign patients through Barcelona Medical Center (BCM). Dr. Benjamin Guix, specialist in radiotherapy, is its director. He has published more than 200 articles and more than twenty books on the specialty and has been widely recognized by the profession with different awards.