Intraoperative radiotherapy for abdominal malignancies: new prospects in multimodality treatment.

Intraoperative radiotherapy (IOR) using a high-dose electron beam was first attempted in Japan about 20 years ago. Since then a continuing effort to effectively apply this innovative treatment has been underway. Radiotherapy promises to be a useful technique, since information regarding improved survival, alleviation of symptoms, and reduced radiation injury has become widely available. This report focuses on a general historical review of IOR, its advantages and disadvantages, complications, and indications in the treatment of abdominal neoplasms by comparing Japanese and Western experience.