Course Report
Image-guided radiotherapy and chemotherapy in gynaecological cancer: focus on MRI-based adaptive brachytherapy for cervical cancer
PDF Version
19-22 September 2022
Lisbon, Portugal
I attended the image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) course that is offered by ESTRO around 10 years ago in Florence, when I had just been named a clinical oncology consultant and I had limited training in gynaecological brachytherapy.
The course gave me the knowledge, confidence and inspiration to introduce IGABT to our department, and to impart some of the knowledge to the whole team.
Over the years, I and other members of our team (consultants, radiographers and physicists) have attended the course twice more, the latest in Lisbon last year.
The course has evolved successfully in tandem with the latest evidence and has given us the tools to evolve as a brachytherapy team from the initial implementation of basic image-guided brachytherapy to the use of more adaptive techniques, such as the use of applicator-based and free-hand interstitial needles.
By means of contouring and planning exercises, the course also enabled us to peer-review and benchmark our practice.
The most recent courses, including the latest in Lisbon, integrate practical knowledge of external beam radiotherapy very well. This achieves a better overview and puts a lot of the information on brachytherapy in context.
The faculty is a group of world experts in the field who have experience in many different health systems. They are friendly and very approachable. They supported us during the course, as they have over the years whenever we have had queries.
The course also provides attendees with the opportunity to socialise and network with colleagues there, which creates opportunities for friendship and professional collaboration.
The organisation of the course has always been exemplary.
I would recommend this course to any member of multidisciplinary teams involved in the treatment of gynaecological cancers, whether expert or beginner.
George Sioftanos
Clinical oncologist
Southend University Hospital
Southend-on-Sea
UK