Taiwan medical team introduces intraoperative radiotherapy to treat bowel cancers

Описание: A team from Tri-Service General Hospital has been introducing intraoperative radiotherapy to treat bowel cancer. The procedure is less invasive and allows for more control during surgery. It also reduces the likelihood of recurrence. Their experiences with the procedure have been published in an international medical journal.

Brazilian football legend Pele passed away last year, just one year after being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021. In Taiwan, celebrities such as Chu Ke-liang and Yu Yuan-chi were also killed by the disease. A doctor says intestinal and colorectal cancers are particularly deadly.

Lo Cheng-hsiang
Tri-Service General Hospital
Especially when the tumor has invaded organs such as the bladder, the prostate, or the uterus, it is very hard for surgeons to perform a clean operation. What often happens is that they think they have cleared it all off, but the report comes back and it turns out they did not leave a safe distance.

According to ministry of health data, every year, Taiwan adds about 16,000 cases of bowel cancer, topping the list as the most common cancer in Taiwan for 15 years straight. And the cancer is capable of spreading to other organs in the pelvic cavity. For that reason, a team at Tri-Service General Hospital has been trying to improve treatment. Whereas previously patients were first subjected to radiotherapy followed by surgery, the team is now focused on intraoperative radiotherapy combined with laparoscopy. This targeted treatment has been found to be effective at preventing recurrence.

Lo Cheng-hsiang
Tri-Service General Hospital
Intraoperative radiotherapy can be used in areas where the surgeon believes the risk is high, and areas where recurrence is more likely. It allows for more control.

Intraoperative radiotherapy is a less invasive procedure. The team’s experiences and findings with the technique have been published in an international journal, in hopes that they will be helpful for bowel cancer patients around the world.