This course is aimed primarily at trainee radiation oncologists. It may also be of interest to medical physicists and technologists who would like an overview of current clinical practice in the major treatment sites.

Course Director

Barbara Jereczek-Fossa, Radiation Oncologist and Clinical Oncologist, European Institute of Oncology and University of Milan, Milan (IT)

Teachers

Berardino De Bari, Radiation Oncologist, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne (CH)

Bernard Dubray, Radiation Oncologist, Centre Henri Becquerel, Rouen (FR)

Johannes Kaanders, Radiation Oncologist, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen (NL)

Youlia Kirova, Radiation Oncologist, Marie Curie Institute, Paris (FR)

Li Tee Tan, Radiation Oncologist, Addenbrookes Hospital – Oncology Centre, Cambridge (UK)

Matt Williams, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Charing Cross Hospital, London (UK)

Gian Carlo Mattiucci, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome (IT)

• The course focuses on the concept of evidence-based medicine and describes the methodology underlying clinical research. Areas of biomedical statistics necessary for participants to develop skills of critical reading and presentation of research evidence will be covered
• The course will explore the state-of-the-art of radiation therapy in the major tumour sites: breast, oesophagus and stomach, rectum, prostate, head and neck, lung, CNS and gynaecological malignancies. A separate session will deal with the major issues in palliative radiation therapy
• The clinical component of the course will comprise a combination of lectures and case discussions. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss clinical scenarios in small groups before the management options are then discussed in the light of the research evidence in plenary sessions.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course participants should be able to:

• Define the hierarchy of evidence and use this to evaluate the basis of radiation treatment protocols
• Identify areas of uncertainty in daily radiotherapy practice
• Describe the statistical basis for the design of clinical trials and critically appraise the published literature
• Identify those aspects of current radiotherapy practice which are supported by the highest levels of evidence and those which are not
• Outline the evidence supporting the use of altered fractionation regimens and combined-modality treatment
• Critically evaluate an oral or written scientific presentation.

Course Content

• General introduction to evidence-based medicine
• The terminology of radiation therapy, errors and uncertainties in daily practice
• Statistics for the radiation oncologist, how to describe and interpret data from clinical trials and meta-analyses
• Prostate cancer
• Lung cancer
• Rectal cancer
• Head and neck cancer
• CNS malignancies
• Gynaecological malignancies
• Breast cancer
• Gastric and oesophageal cancer
• Radiation therapy in palliative care

Prerequisites

Before commencing this course participants should:

• Review their institution’s radiotherapy treatment protocols in those areas covered by this course and be prepared to apply and discuss these in case discussions
• Try to distinguish those areas of their practice that can be justified by the available evidence from those where the evidence-basis is uncertain
• Be prepared to ask questions and contribute to discussions

Please find the programme here.

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2023 BEFORE registering to the course. To become an ESTRO member, benefit from the member registration rate and discover the many other member advantages, please visit the membership page.

Fees

Reduced fees

Members from emerging countries may register at a preferential rate of 250 Euro. Emerging country fee applies to individuals from low-income and lower-middle-income economies according to the World Bank listing here. Please send a mail to education@estro.org to request this rate.

World Bank Country and Lending Groups – World Bank Data Help Desk

Cancellation

Cancellation is NOT possible after payment.