Hoag Hospital Launches Intraoperative Radiation Therapy Protocol for Patients Undergoing Tissue-Sparing Breast Cancer Surgery

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoag Hospital announced the launch of its Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) program as part of its progressive, comprehensive approach to breast cancer treatment. IORT is a radiation therapy technique in which a concentrated dose of radiation is delivered to a cancerous tumor site during surgery after the tumor is removed. Hoag Hospital is the first in Orange County to offer IORT brachytherapy for breast cancer as a component of a definitive treatment approach.

Traditional external-beam radiation therapy for breast cancer patients typically consists of six to seven weeks of radiation after surgical removal of the tumor. With IORT, radiation treatment takes place during surgery, lasts about 20-30 minutes, and may eliminate the inconvenience of, daily radiation therapy. Unlike traditional radiation treatment, IORT uses a single radiation dose and treats a more limited area of breast tissue.

The recently published TARGIT Trial has shown IORT to be safe and comparable to the more traditional external beam therapy while offering significant medical and quality of life benefits for patients. In addition, the TARGIT trial demonstrated a lower local complication rate in the breast for IORT than for traditional external beam radiation.

"The beauty of IORT for breast cancer patients is that within minutes they have completed their radiation treatment without even realizing it – it's the difference between 30 minutes or 30 days of treatment," explains Dr. Melvin Silverstein, medical director at Hoag Breast Care Center, Hoag Hospital and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Southern California. "At Hoag, we will deliver IORT as a definitive radiation treatment for selected patients, which means no additional radiation therapy is needed – a treatment approach that is gaining more traction in leading hospitals across the United States."

"We are pleased to be collaborating with our breast cancer surgeons in this innovative treatment approach which likely will be associated with increased patient satisfaction with no significant decrease in therapeutic efficacy," states Russell Hafer, chief of service for radiation oncology at Hoag Cancer Center.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women in the United States. It is estimated that approximately $13.8 billion is spent in the United States each year on treatment of breast cancer.[i] Patients will benefit from advanced technologies such as IORT with faster recovery, more targeted radiation treatment and greater convenience. In addition, IORT will play a significant role in helping to reduce overall health care costs.

About Hoag Cancer Center

Hoag Cancer Center is accredited as a "Comprehensive Community Cancer Program" by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons, and was designated as "Outstanding" following its most recent survey. The Center provides a broad array of innovative cancer treatments as well as patient-centered education and support programs. As the highest volume provider of cancer care in Orange County, Hoag Cancer Center manages approximately 3,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients each year, providing the latest state-of-the-art technology and treatment options. Hoag Cancer Center participates in a variety of clinical trials, develops patient-specific biological treatments in its cell biology laboratory, and provides a wealth of oncology support care programs for patients.

About Hoag Hospital

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (www.hoaghospital.org) is a 498-bed, not-for-profit, acute care hospital located in Newport Beach, Calif. Fully accredited by the Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Hoag offers a comprehensive mix of health care services, including Centers of Excellence in cancer, heart and vascular, neurosciences, orthopedics and women's health. National Research Corporation has endorsed Hoag as Orange County's most preferred hospital for the past 14 consecutive years. And for an unprecedented 14 years, residents of Orange County have chosen Hoag as the county's best hospital in a local newspaper survey. In order to meet the growing needs of Irvine and South County residents, Hoag will open an Irvine campus in 2010. Hoag continues to offer additional services to the community through the seven Hoag Health Centers located throughout Orange County.

[i] National Cancer Institute. Cancer Trends Progress Report - 2009/2010 Update. URL: http://progressreport.cancer.gov

SOURCE Hoag Hospital