ESTRO 2022

Session Item

Sunday

May 08

14:15 - 15:30

Auditorium 11

Ocular plaque brachytherapy

Chair: Frank-André Siebert, Germany;

Co-Chair: Michele Keane, Ireland

Session Type: Symposium

Track: Brachytherapy

Journey:

14:40 - 15:05

GEC-ESTRO survey on global Ru-106 eye plaque brachytherapy practice

Speaker: , Australia

Presentation Number: SP-0526

Abstract

Abstract Title:

GEC-ESTRO survey on global Ru-106 eye plaque brachytherapy practice

Authors:

Lotte Stubkjaer Fog¹, Marisol De Brabandere², Elisa Placidi³, Andrea Slocker⁴, Luca Tagliaferri⁵, Ȧsa Carlsson Tedgren⁶, Michael Andrássy⁷, Carmen Schulz⁷, Evelyn Chibeka Chimfwembe⁸, Frank-Andre Siebert⁹

¹Alfred Health Radiation Oncology / The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Radiation Oncology / Ocular Oncology, Melbourne, Australia; ²University Hospital Leuven, Department of Radiation Oncology, Leuven, Belgium; ³Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Medical Physics, Rome, Italy; ⁴Catalan Institute of Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Barcelona, Spain; ⁵Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Radiation Oncology, Rome, Italy; ⁶Linköping University and Karolinska University hospital, Medical Radiation Physics and Nuclear Medicine, Linköping, Sweden; ⁷Eckert and Ziegler BEBIG, ., Berlin, Germany; ⁸ESTRO, ., Brussles, Belgium; ⁹Christian-Albrechts-Universität , Department of Radiotherapy, Kiel, Germany

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Abstract Text

Purpose/Objective

Ocular melanoma may be treated with brachytherapy (BT) using Ru-106 or I-125, enucleation (removal of the globe), or external radiation therapy using photons or protons.

Ru-106 is a beta emitter with a half life of 372 days and an effective treatment depth of up to about 5 mm. The radioactive Ru-106 eye plaque is sutured onto the tumour and removed once the prescribed dose has been delivered.

Ru-106 BT is a niche treatment, delivered at only approximately 100 clinics globally. Prescription doses and planning methods vary considerably between clinics. In this work, we aim to create a comprehensive survey of Ru-106 BT practice. We hope that a detailed knowledge of clinical practice may help clinics deliver optimal practice.

Fig 1: Ru-106 Eye Applicators and a Ruthenium plaque treatment, curtesy of the manufacturer Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG

Material/Methods

A range of survey methods and formats were investigated.

Surveys on Ru-106 plaque practice were created with input from a group of physicists and clinicians in ESTRO BRAPHYQS. The survey was extensively vetted by members of, and outside, this group. Sample surveys were filled in.

Results

Surveymonkey was chosen as the survey method. Two surveys were created: one for physicians and one for physicists, since they would likely be filled in separately. Dropbox answers were used whenever possible, while also giving responders the opportunity to provide free text responses if they wish to include additional information.

The physician survey includes questions on number of patient treatment per year, plaque types available at their centre , prescription point and dose, the involvement of various professional groups, available alternative treatments, OAR constraints, the use of dummy applicators, sterilisation practice, plaque placement verification, guidelines and outcome data collection.

The physicist survey includes questions on measurements of plaque activity, depth dose and profiles, TPS commissioning, planning methodology, radiobiological corrections, independent checks and guidelines.

The survey will be launched in February 2022. We hope to get responses from a high proportion of Ruthenium clinics. We aim to publish the data, though clinic names will be kept confidential.

Conclusion

A clinician and a physicist survey have been created with the aim to collect data about the current clinical practice of the use of Ruthenium-106.