How are you taking part in this consultation?

You will not be able to change how you comment later.

You must be signed in to answer questions

    The content on this page is not current guidance and is only for the purposes of the consultation process.

    What the procedure involves

    The procedure is done during surgery for locally advanced or locally recurrent colorectal cancer. Once the tumour is resected, the patient is positioned to receive a megavoltage electron dose from a linear accelerator. Either the operating theatre is equipped with a stationary linear accelerator, the patient is transferred to a dedicated room, or a mobile linear accelerator is brought into the theatre. Radiation-sensitive organs surrounding the tumour site can be displaced or shielded from the IOERT field. A single large fraction of radiation (typically 10 to 20 Gy) is then delivered via an applicator directly to the tumour bed. The aim is to improve local control and increase survival rates.

    There are several techniques for delivering IORT, including IOERT, HDR-brachytherapy, and orthovoltage. This overview is a summary of the evidence for IOERT and is not an assessment of HDR-brachytherapy or orthovoltage techniques.