The role of intraoperative radiation therapy in breast cancer treatment: A literature review

Abstract

Relevance: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. In 2022, GLOBOCAN reported 2,296,842 new cases of breast cancer and 666,103 deaths from this disease. Breast cancer ranks 1st in the world in the structure of oncopathologies in women. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, 37,038 new cancer cases were registered in 2023, except for skin cancer. The number of cases of malignant neoplasms increased by 1,959, or 5.6%, compared to the previous year. The “stable” incidence per 100,000 population was 186.1 per year, with a growth rate of 3.5%; the standardized rate was 0.8%, with a growth rate of 159.6. It is also worth paying attention to the main directions and principles of SCC treatment. The types of SCC treatment depend on the stage of the disease. Tumor treatment includes surgical removal, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy.
Currently, intraoperative radiation therapy (IRT) is relevant as an optimal method of SCC treatment. According to oncologists, mammologists, and radiation oncologists, this treatment method also requires in-depth analysis to improve treatment outcomes and five-year survival rates for this disease.
The study aimed to examine the world experience in the use of IORT in the treatment of breast cancer.
Methods: This article reviews PubMed sources from 2003 to 2023 on the use of IORT in treating breast cancer.
Results: This review presents the results of large studies, including multicenter prospective ones, on evaluating the efficacy, the effect on survival, and the features and possible limitations of IORT in treating breast cancer.
Conclusion: IORT is a fairly promising and innovative treatment method that reduces the risk of side effects and the duration of
treatment. Considering the positive short-term and long-term results of IORT application, it is advisable to recommend its full use in
clinical protocols within Kazakhstan’s healthcare system.