March 12, 2008 - Doctors at Nagoya University Hospital in Nagoya, Japan, are using the Mobetron, self-shielding linear accelerator to deliver intraoperative electron-beam radiation therapy (IOERT) to breast cancer patients, reportedly offering improved physiological and psychological benefits.
The Mobetron, by IntraOp Medical, allows users to deliver a single dose of radiation to patients during their cancer surgery. By delivering radiation at the time that the cancerous tissue is excised, the Mobetron administers in one treatment the equivalent of six weeks of post-operative radiation therapy, according to the company.
Using the system reportedly allows radiation and surgical oncologists to view the exact area they needed to radiate and immediately deliver high doses directly to the affected tissue when any residual tumor cells will be most vulnerable. All of the radiation that is needed to control the disease is given at the same time as surgery and is said to also result in less dose to the healthy tissues, sparing radiation to the skin.
Using the Mobetron also reportedly decreases the overall treatment time for the patient, resulting in a faster recovery and return to daily life, and increases the chances for oncoplastic reconstruction at the time of the lumpectomy, making breast reconstruction a real alternative to mastectomy for many breast cancer patients.
For more information: www.intraopmedical.com
