High conformality radiotherapy in Europe: thirty-one centres participating in the quality assurance programme of the EORTC prostate trial 22991

Today, conformality in radiotherapy is at the centre of many investments in equipment and staffing. To estimate the current situation within the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) conformal radiotherapy trial for prostate cancer, a technology questionnaire was designe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of cancer (1990) 2004-11, Vol.40 (16), p.2411-2416
Main Authors: Ataman, Fatma, Poortmans, Philip, Davis, J. Bernard, Bernier, Jacques, Giraud, Jean-Yves, Kouloulias, Vassilis E., Pierart, Marianne, Bolla, Michel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Conformal radiotherapy
EORTC
Europe
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Multicenter Studies as Topic - standards
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Prostate cancer
Prostatic Neoplasms - radiotherapy
Quality assurance
Quality Assurance, Health Care - standards
Quality Control
Questionnaire
Radiotherapy, Conformal - instrumentation
Radiotherapy, Conformal - methods
Radiotherapy, Conformal - standards
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - standards
Surveys and Questionnaires
Tumors
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Summary:Today, conformality in radiotherapy is at the centre of many investments in equipment and staffing. To estimate the current situation within the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) conformal radiotherapy trial for prostate cancer, a technology questionnaire was designed to assess whether participating centres can comply with the required radiotherapy procedures of EORTC trial 22991, where a high dose is prescribed to the prostate. Questions covered various items of computed tomography, data acquisition, treatment planning, delivery and verification. All centres ( n = 31) replied to the questionnaire. All generate beam’s eye views and dose volume histograms. All, but two, centres use digitally reconstructed radiographs to display images. The vast majority of the centres perform at least weekly treatment verification and half have access to individual in vivo dosimetry. The results of the questionnaire indicate that participating centres have access to the equipment and apply the procedures that are essential for conformal prostate radiotherapy. The technology questionnaire is the first step in the extensive quality assurance programme dedicated to this high-tech radiotherapy trial.
ISSN:0959-8049
1879-0852
DOI:10.1016/j.ejca.2004.07.019