Aster Whitefield Crosses 140 IOeRT Cancer Procedures, ETHealthworld
Bengaluru: Aster Whitefield Hospital in Bengaluru has completed over 140 Intraoperative Electron Radiation Therapy (IOeRT) procedures, marking a significant milestone in the use of advanced radiation techniques for cancer treatment in India.
IOeRT involves delivering a focused dose of electron radiation directly to the tumor site during surgery, allowing for better control over residual cancer cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissues. The technique reduces the need for multiple post-surgery radiation sessions, shortens recovery time, and minimizes complications.
Clinical data from a prospective study of 113 breast cancer patients treated with IOeRT at Aster Whitefield showed zero Grade 3 skin toxicity and fewer postoperative complications, such as infection and seroma formation. These findings were presented at the Federation of Asian Organizations for Radiation Oncology (FARO) conference, highlighting the growing relevance of IOeRT in clinical practice.
In India, IOeRT is being increasingly explored for early-stage breast cancer, where a single intraoperative dose can replace 15–20 conventional radiation sessions. The approach has shown potential to reduce treatment costs by nearly half while maintaining strong clinical and cosmetic outcomes.
Experts note that as India faces a projected 57 per cent rise in cancer incidence by 2040 (GLOBOCAN), precision-based techniques like IOeRT could play a critical role in improving treatment efficiency and accessibility, particularly for cancers requiring targeted radiation such as breast, gastrointestinal, and soft tissue malignancies.
