Performed along with surgery so that anesthesia is used only one time.

The typical structures are pushed away from the tumor bed so that the dose to these areas is reduced, and in turn, the duration of external radiation is reduced.

IORT has opportunities for dose escalation beyond EBRT dose and re-irradiation in recurrent cancers where EBRT may not be possible.

Since it is a low-energy X-ray (50kV), the exposure to the staff is almost nil and requires minimal shielding.

Recently, it has emerged as an attractive treatment option for early breast cancer as well as selected locally advanced breast cancer, the main advantage being the ability to reduce the duration of external radiation.

The waiting period following surgery to enable post-operative recovery, the surgical scar to heal, and the prolonged external beam radiation treatment of 4-6 weeks following surgery are avoided, forming added benefits of IORT.

In the same sitting during surgery, the radiation treatment is completed. Sometimes, it is combined with EBRT based on the stage and diagnosis.

It is used in a wide variety of sites such as breast cancer, locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancer, retroperitoneal sarcomas, soft tissue sarcomas, pancreatic cancer, gynaecologic and genito-urinary and recurrent malignancies.