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  P1.08 - Poster Session 1 - Radiotherapy (ID 195)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Radiation Oncology + Radiotherapy
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/28/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

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    P1.08-003 - I Love a Sunburnt Country ... Tripartite Collaborative Approaches to Bringing Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) Lung to the People of Regional Australia (ID 259)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): J. Luo
    • Abstract

    Background
    Australia is one of the most urbanized countries in the world. Patients with cancer in regional Australia have poorer access to oncology services, resulting in lower survival rates for lung cancer[1]. Implementation of SABR lung is focused in metropolitan centres, limiting access for regional patients. The development of new regional radiotherapy centres could improve this, but these centres require support to implement this complex technology. A tripartite collaboration consisting of radiation oncologists, physicists and radiation therapists was formed to enable implementation of SABR.

    Methods
    The collaboration includes the following 11 radiation oncology departments: Regional hospitals: North Coast Cancer Institute ( Lismore, Port Macquarie and Coff’s Harbour), Newcastle Calvary Mater Hospital, Central Coast Cancer Care Centre ( Gosford) Sydney Metropolitan Hospitals: Westmead and Nepean Hospitals, St George Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital. The goal was to support centres starting an SABR programme, and facilitate ongoing assessment of outcomes. Multidisciplinary working groups consisting of radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and physicists were formed to cover: Clinical protocol development: existing protocols, including the Dutch (ROSEL), Leeds, RTOG and TROG Chisel protocols were reviewed. Ethically approved SABR protocols for Stage I NSCLC, pulmonary and vertebral metastases were developed with assistance from international and local experts. Planning protocols: development of prescription pages and IMRT checklists for treatment. Physics quality assurance: specification documents for equipment, quality assurance and image verification procedures are being developed. Data collection: a database to archive clinical data and all radiotherapy planning and diagnostic imaging was developed. Ongoing support for regional centres includes: email servers for rapid response to questions, video-conferenced clinical and technical audits of SABR cases. Data collection will facilitate quality assurance and future research.

    Results
    The tripartite approach has led to the uniform adoption of clinical and technical protocols, and facilitated large-scale data pooling of SABR patient information across NSW. Key drivers of success were: the recognition of the need to data pool, identification of key team members to lead the process who had expertise in trial coordination, database development and implementation of radiotherapy technology, and administrative support from involved departments.

    Conclusion
    By increasing collaboration between metropolitan and regional radiotherapy centres we have successfully facilitated the safe implementation of SABR lung, increasing accessibility for patients in regional Australia. This model could be used as the basis for a national collaboration, and the development of accreditation and credentialing procedures for Australian departments. 1. Vinod, S. K. et al. . Cancer 116, 686–694 (2010).