Radiation therapy is painless and uses high-energy particles or rays (like a more intense X-ray) to kill cancerous cells. It is delivered by our radiation oncologists — specialists who form a key part of our team and have spent years in the field of breast health.
Our program offers a variety of effective radiation therapy, including intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) — a new approach that combines surgery and a single dose of radiation in the same visit. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center were the first D.C. area hospitals to offer this service.
Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy): Radioactive seeds or pellets are place in the beast tissue near the tumor. This option depends on tumor size, location and other factors and is not appropriate for all patients.
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center are participating in a clinical trial offering a new type of radiation — intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT).
Effectiveness and Safety: IORT appears as safe and effective as whole breast radiation. The new method also allows doctors to kill lingering cancer cells immediately at the source of the tumor — the place cancer most often returns.
Sparing Healthy Tissue: Less radiation is delivered to surrounding healthy tissue.
Speed and Comfort: Getting the radiation adds only another 20 to 40 minutes to the operation, during which the patient is asleep. The combined outpatient procedure —performed entirely in the operating room — takes about two to three hours, and the patient returns home the same day.
Convenience: The single dose means patients don’t have to go through the normal regimen: waiting four weeks after surgery to receive radiation, then needing to travel for up to 30 treatment sessions spread over six weeks. If all is well with the lymph nodes and margins after IORT, no further radiation and no chemotherapy is required.