Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) – one of the most advanced radiation therapy techniques – is being used since March 2011 at the Radiation Oncology Division of the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana. A fundamental distinction of VMAT with respect to other radiation therapy techniques is that the patient is irradiated with a photon beam continuously while the gantry is rotating around patient's body. During the treatment, three parameters are modulated simultaneously: the shape of the treatment field, rotation speed of the gantry, and the delivery dose rate. Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), in contrast, uses fixed treatment fields and a constant dose rate. Two most important advantages of VMAT over IMRT are a shorter treatment time – and consequently a smaller possibility for an unwanted change of patient position (or the position of the treatment target – tumor – inside the patient's body) on the treatment table during irradiation – and a lower dose load to the tissue around the target. At the same time, conformity of dose distribution in target area and spearing of healthy organs and tissues in its surroundings are at least as good as the one achieved by IMRT and in some cases (e.g. irradiation of the pelvis), however, they are even better. The present contribution presents VMAT, its characteristics, procedure, indications for its use, as well as the dangers associated with such precise irradiation treatment.
F.22 Improvement to existing health/diagnostic methods/procedures
COBISS.SI-ID: 1317755Background and purpose: The absolute number of new cancer patients that will require at least one course of radiotherapy in each country of Europe was estimated. Material and methods: The incidence and relative frequency of cancer types from the year 2012 European Cancer Observatory estimates were used in combination with the population-based stage at diagnosis from five cancer registries. These data were applied to the decision trees of the evidence-based indications to calculate the Optimal Utilization Proportion (OUP) by tumour site. Results: In the minimum scenario, the OUP ranged from 47.0% in the Russian Federation to 53.2% in Belgium with no clear geographical pattern of the variability among countries. The impact of stage at diagnosis on the OUP by country was rather limited. Within the 24 countries where data on actual use of radiotherapy were available, a gap between optimal and actual use has been observed in most of the countries. Conclusions: The actual utilization of radiotherapy is significantly lower than the optimal use predicted from the evidence based estimates in the literature. This discrepancy poses a major challenge for policy makers when planning the resources at the national level to improve the provision in European countries.
F.01 Acquisition of new practical knowledge, information and skills
COBISS.SI-ID: 2023035Summer School in Oncology is taking place at the end of June; in 2014 it was organized for the second time. The organizers are CECOG – the Central European Cooperative Oncology Group, MUVI – the Medical University Vienna International and »Prof. Dr. Alexandrou Trestioreanu« Oncological Institute from Bucharest. The summer school aims at presenting modern management of the most frequent cancer types through state of the art lectures of well recognized international experts and clinical case discussions in the multidisciplinary environment. School is dedicated to doctors in residency programs and young specialists from different fields of oncology.
F.17 Transfer of existing technologies, know-how, methods and procedures into practice
COBISS.SI-ID: 1914747After 10 years, new clinical practice guidelines for head and neck cancer were published in 2009. In preparation of the guidelines, professionals from all four Slovenian institutions dealing with this type of cancer collaborated: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Cervicofacial Surgery and Clinical Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, the University Clinical Center Ljubljana (both); Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, the University Clinical Center Maribor; and the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana. In the guidelines, recommendations for diagnostic procedures, therapy and followup of patients after treatment are presented. The guidelines are available on the web (http://www.onkoi.si/uploads/media/Smernice_za_obravnavo_rakov_glave_in_vratu_01.pdf); independently, article was published with the emphases and commentaries of main novelties.
F.31 Development of standards
COBISS.SI-ID: 847227Booklet summarizes basic knowledge on cancer of the head and neck (etiology, epidemiology), available diagnostic procedures and therapeutic options on a way that is understandable to laics, i.e. patients and their relatives. Separately, the text is focused on side effects of different treatment modalities used in these patients with practical instructions included how to reduce or even avoid adverse effects.
F.34 Consultancy
COBISS.SI-ID: 251878656