Intraoperative electrons.

Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has been used for many years for treating patients with various locally-advanced malignancies, usually combined with external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Long-term results confirm that IORT improves local control, which is generally associated with increased survival. Recently, electron-beam IORT has been used as the sole treatment for patients with earlier-stage cancers, especially for breast tumors, with extremely promising results. Most of this work has been done at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan. We report the rationale and techniques of the use of electron intraoperative treatment (ELIOT) and the results of our different clinical studies. In our opinion, ELIOT may be an excellent alternative to EBRT for the treatment of patients with early-stage breast cancer. However, intensive long-term follow-up is needed to fully evaluate local control and possible side effects.