UCSF presented a paper on the use of IORT for pediatric patients at the recent American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology Meeting in November, 1999. The title of the paper was "Intraoperative Radiation Therapy of High Risk Pediatric Neuroblastoma". The study concluded that " Our data confirms that local control is a key determinant of survival in patients with neuroblastoma. IORT as the only radiotherapy to the primary produced excellent local control when a GTR (gross total resection) was achieved, even with positive surgical margins. However, IORT as the sole radiotherapy to the primary was inadequate for patients with bulky, extensive adenopathy or a STR (subtotal resection). In this setting, we are exploring the use of IORT as a boost in conjunction with external beam radiotherapy."

For more information on the IORT program and cancer program at UCSF, please call 415-476-4815, or visit the UCSF Web page.