Skip to main content

Intraoperative Radiation Treatment

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Malignancies

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal cancers. To achieve long-term survival, surgical resection is essential in the treatment paradigm. However, local tumor recurrence remains high even after curative resection with negative margins (R0), suggesting undetected microscopic margin involvement. Given high local failure rates, techniques to escalate radiation doses have been investigated. One of these strategies is intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), which was developed to deliver a higher radiation dose to the tumor bed than traditional external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) while sparing adjacent normal tissues. This technique can improve local control when combined with EBRT in resectable, borderline resectable, and locally advanced PDAC patients. In the modern era of neoadjuvant therapy, studies have also demonstrated improved survival rates in patients who receive intensive neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by chemoradiation therapy and IORT at the time of resection, without increased toxicity. IORT seems to be a robust therapeutic adjunct when treating pancreatic cancer patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Key Statistics for Pancreatic Cancer: American Cancer Society; 2020 [updated January 8, 2020]. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/about/key-statistics.html.

  2. Rahib L, Smith BD, Aizenberg R, Rosenzweig AB, Fleshman JM, Matrisian LM. Projecting cancer incidence and deaths to 2030: the unexpected burden of thyroid, liver, and pancreas cancers in the United States. Cancer Res. 2014;74(11):2913–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hoffman JP. Status of neoadjuvant therapy for resectable pancreatic cancer. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2010;19(2):411–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Li Y, Feng Q, Jin J, Shi S, Zhang Z, Che X, et al. Experts’ consensus on intraoperative radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Cancer Lett. 2019;449:1–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group. Radiation therapy combined with Adriamycin or 5-fluorouracil for the treatment of locally unresectable pancreatic carcinoma. Cancer. 1985;56(11):2563–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Roldan GE, Gunderson LL, Nagorney DM, Martin JK, Ilstrup DM, Holbrook MA, et al. External beam versus intraoperative and external beam irradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Cancer. 1988;61(6):1110–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sindelar WF, Kinsella T, Tepper J, Travis EL, Rosenberg SA, Glatstein E. Experimental and clinical studies with intraoperative radiotherapy. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1983;157(3):205–19.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Palta M, Willett C, Czito B. The role of intraoperative radiation therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer. Semin Radiat Oncol. 2014;24(2):126–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Barth G, Meinel F. Intraoperative contact therapy in the large body cavities. Strahlentherapie. 1959;109:386–95.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nagai S, Fujii T, Kodera Y, Kanda M, Sahin TT, Kanzaki A, et al. Prognostic implications of intraoperative radiotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer. Pancreatology. 2011;11(1):68–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hiraoka T, Kanemitsu K. Value of extended resection and intraoperative radiotherapy for resectable pancreatic cancer. World J Surg. 1999;23(9):930–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Okamoto A, Matsumoto G, Tsuruta K, Baba H, Karasawa K, Kamisawa T, et al. Intraoperative radiation therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma: the Komagome hospital experience. Pancreas. 2004;28(3):296–300.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Reni M, Panucci MG, Ferreri AJ, Balzano G, Passoni P, Cattaneo GM, et al. Effect on local control and survival of electron beam intraoperative irradiation for resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2001;50(3):651–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ma HB, Di ZL, Wang XJ, Kang HF, Deng HC, Bai MH. Effect of intraoperative radiotherapy combined with external beam radiotherapy following internal drainage for advanced pancreatic carcinoma. World J Gastroenterol. 2004;10(11):1669–771.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Ihse I, Andersson R, Ask A, Ewers SB, Lindell G, Tranberg KG. Intraoperative radiotherapy for patients with carcinoma of the pancreas. Pancreatology. 2005;5(4–5):438–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. C. Comas PA. Irradiation roentgen itraabdominale, après intervention chirurgicale dans un cas de cancer de l’uterus. Congres International d’Electrologie Barcelona: Imprenta Francesca Badia. 1907:5–14.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Abe M, Takahashi M. Intraoperative radiotherapy: the Japanese experience. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1981;7(7):863–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Nishimura A, Nakano M, Otsu H, Nakano K, Iida K, Sakata S, et al. Intraoperative radiotherapy for advanced carcinoma of the pancreas. Cancer. 1984;54(11):2375–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Shipley WU, Wood WC, Tepper JE, Warshaw AL, Orlow EL, Kaufman SD, et al. Intraoperative electron beam irradiation for patients with unresectable pancreatic carcinoma. Ann Surg. 1984;200(3):289–96.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sindelar WF, Kinsella TJ. Studies of intraoperative radiotherapy in carcinoma of the pancreas. Ann Oncol. 1999;10(Suppl 4):226–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Zerbi A, Fossati V, Parolini D, Carlucci M, Balzano G, Bordogna G, et al. Intraoperative radiation therapy adjuvant to resection in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Cancer. 1994;73(12):2930–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Alfieri S, Morganti AG, Di Giorgio A, Valentini V, Bossola M, Trodella L, et al. Improved survival and local control after intraoperative radiation therapy and postoperative radiotherapy: a multivariate analysis of 46 patients undergoing surgery for pancreatic head cancer. Arch Surg. 2001;136(3):343–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ogawa K, Karasawa K, Ito Y, Ogawa Y, Jingu K, Onishi H, et al. Intraoperative radiotherapy for resected pancreatic cancer: a multi-institutional retrospective analysis of 210 patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2010;77(3):734–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Valentini V, Calvo F, Reni M, Krempien R, Sedlmayer F, Buchler MW, et al. Intra-operative radiotherapy (IORT) in pancreatic cancer: joint analysis of the ISIORT-Europe experience. Radiother Oncol. 2009;91(1):54–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Keane FK, Wo JY, Ferrone CR, Clark JW, Blaszkowsky LS, Allen JN, et al. Intraoperative radiotherapy in the era of intensive neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Am J Clin Oncol. 2018;41(6):607–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Jin L, Shi N, Ruan S, Hou B, Zou Y, Zou X, et al. The role of intraoperative radiation therapy in resectable pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Radiat Oncol. 2020;15(1):76.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Tepper JE, Noyes D, Krall JM, Sause WT, Wolkov HB, Dobelbower RR, et al. Intraoperative radiation therapy of pancreatic carcinoma: a report of RTOG-8505. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1991;21(5):1145–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Stocken DD, Büchler MW, Dervenis C, Bassi C, Jeekel H, Klinkenbijl JH, et al. Meta-analysis of randomised adjuvant therapy trials for pancreatic cancer. Br J Cancer. 2005;92(8):1372–81.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Willett CG, Del Castillo CF, Shih HA, Goldberg S, Biggs P, Clark JW, et al. Long-term results of intraoperative electron beam irradiation (IOERT) for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Ann Surg. 2005;241(2):295–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Cai S, Hong TS, Goldberg SI, Fernandez-del Castillo C, Thayer SP, Ferrone CR, et al. Updated long-term outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated with intraoperative radiotherapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital, 1978 to 2010. Cancer. 2013;119(23):4196–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Valentini V, Balducci M, Tortoreto F, Morganti AG, De Giorgi U, Fiorentini G. Intraoperative radiotherapy: current thinking. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2002;28(2):180–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Fossati V, Cattaneo GM, Zerbi A, Galli L, Bordogna G, Reni M, et al. The role of intraoperative therapy by electron beam and combination of adjuvant chemotherapy and external radiotherapy in carcinoma of the pancreas. Tumori. 1995;81(1):23–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Nishimura Y, Hosotani R, Shibamoto Y, Kokubo M, Kanamori S, Sasai K, et al. External and intraoperative radiotherapy for resectable and unresectable pancreatic cancer: analysis of survival rates and complications. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1997;39(1):39–49.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Abe M, Takahashi M, Yabumoto E, Onoyama Y, Torizuka K. Techniques, indications and results of intraoperative radiotherapy of advanced cancers. Radiology. 1975;116(3):693–702.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Abe M, Takahashi M, Yabumoto E, Adachi H, Yoshii M, Mori K. Clinical experiences with intraoperative radiotherapy of locally advanced cancers. Cancer. 1980;45(1):40–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Wood WC, Shipley WU, Gunderson LL, Cohen AM, Nardi GL. Intraoperative irradiation for unresectable pancreatic carcinoma. Cancer. 1982;49(6):1272–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Roeder F, Timke C, Uhl M, Habl G, Hensley FW, Buechler MW, et al. Aggressive local treatment containing intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for patients with isolated local recurrences of pancreatic cancer: a retrospective analysis. BMC Cancer. 2012;12:295.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Harrison JM, Wo JY, Ferrone CR, Horick NK, Keane FK, Qadan M, et al. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (BR/LA PDAC) in the era of modern neoadjuvant treatment: short-term and long-term outcomes. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020;27(5):1400–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Krempien R, Roeder F. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) in pancreatic cancer. Radiat Oncol. 2017;12(1):8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Calvo FA, Meirino RM, Orecchia R. Intraoperative radiation therapy first part: rationale and techniques. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2006;59(2):106–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Kneschaurek P, Wehrmann R, Hugo C, Stepan R, Lukas P, Molls M. The flab method of intraoperative radiotherapy. Strahlenther Onkol. 1995;171(2):61–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Jingu K, Tanabe T, Nemoto K, Ariga H, Umezawa R, Ogawa Y, et al. Intraoperative radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer: 30-year experience in a single institution in Japan. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012;83(4):e507–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Chen Y, Che X, Zhang J, Huang H, Zhao D, Tian Y, et al. Long-term results of intraoperative electron beam radiation therapy for nonmetastatic locally advanced pancreatic cancer: retrospective cohort study, 7-year experience with 247 patients at the National Cancer Center in China. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(38):e4861.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Willett CG, Warshaw AL. Intraoperatic electron beam irradiation in pancreatic cancer. Front Biosci. 1998;3:E207–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Herskind C, Ma L, Liu Q, Zhang B, Schneider F, Veldwijk MR, et al. Biology of high single doses of IORT: RBE, 5 R’s, and other biological aspects. Radiat Oncol. 2017;12(1):24.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Crane CH, Beddar AS, Evans DB. The role of intraoperative radiotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2003;12(4):965–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Kadir T, Sarica FB, Ozgur K, Cekinmez M, Nur AM. Delayed radiation myelopathy: differential diagnosis with positron emission tomography/computed tomography examination. Asian J Neurosurg. 2012;7(4):206–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Kokubo M, Nishimura Y, Shibamoto Y, Sasai K, Kanamori S, Hosotani R, et al. Analysis of the clinical benefit of intraoperative radiotherapy in patients undergoing macroscopically curative resection for pancreatic cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000;48(4):1081–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cristina Ferrone .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Sekigami, Y., Michelakos, T., Ferrone, C. (2021). Intraoperative Radiation Treatment. In: Doria, C., Rogart, J.N. (eds) Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Malignancies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37482-2_33-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37482-2_33-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-37482-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-37482-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics