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Background: In 2015, the Global Task Force on Radiotherapy for Cancer Control (GTFRCC) called for 80% of National Cancer Control Plans (NCCP) to include radiotherapy by 2020. As part of the ongoing ESTRO Global Impact of Radiotherapy in Oncology (GIRO) project, we assessed whether inclusion of radiotherapy in NCCPs correlates with radiotherapy machine availability, national income, and geographic region. Methods: A previously validated checklist was used to determine whether radiotherapy was included in each country's NCCP. We applied the CCORE optimal radiotherapy utilisation model to the GLOBOCAN 2020 data to estimate the demand for radiotherapy and compared this to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Directory of Radiotherapy Centres (DIRAC) supply data, stratifying by income level and world region. World regions were defined according to the IAEA. Findings: Complete data (including GLOBOCAN 2020, DIRAC and NCCP) was available for 143 countries. Over half (55%, n = 79) included a radiotherapy-specific checklist item within the plan. Countries which included radiotherapy services planning in their NCCP had a higher median number of machines (1.68 vs 0.75 machines/1000 patients needing radiotherapy, p < 0.001). There was significant regional and income-level heterogeneity in the inclusion of radiotherapy-related items in NCCPs. Low-income and Asia-Pacific countries were least likely to include radiation oncology services planning in their NCCP (p = 0.06 and p = 0.003, respectively). Few countries in the Asia-Pacific (18.6%) had a plan to develop or maintain radiation services, compared to 57% of countries in Europe. Interpretation: Only 55% of current NCCPs included any information regarding radiotherapy, below the GTFRCC's target of 80%. Prioritisation of radiotherapy in NCCPs was correlated with radiotherapy machine availability. There was regional and income-level heterogeneity regarding the inclusion of specific radiotherapy checklist items in the NCCPs. Ongoing efforts are needed to promote the inclusion of radiotherapy in future iterations of NCCPs in order to improve global access to radiation treatment.

To perform implanted fiducial based real-time target position monitoring in pancreas stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) using the x-ray imaging system available in a Elekta linear accelerator. An in-house system was developed and clinically utilised for real-time target position monitoring of pancreas SBRT delivery. The developed system was used for the target position monitoring of a pancreas cancer patient treated in free breathing treatment within the study entitled 'Mfolfirinox And STEreotactic Radiotherapy for Patients with Locally Advanced paNcreas cancer (MASTERPLAN): a feasibility study' (ACTRN 12617001642370) consisting of five treatment fractions. The clinical efficacy of the system was studied by performing a retrospective cumulative dose assessment of delivered dose using observed position deviations. The developed system identified two events of baseline shifts in target position that exceeded the accepted tolerance level of ± 3 mm from reference planned position. The retrospective dose assessment study showed that if the position deviations were not detected and corrected for, the maximum dose to duodenum would have increased from 34.6 to 38.8 Gy. The first real-time position monitoring in pancreas SBRT on an Elekta linear accelerator was successfully performed. The developed system was shown to improve the safety and accuracy of SBRT delivery.

The rapid rise in cancer incidence within the world's poorest nations highlights the need for equitable access to evidence-based cancer care. It has been previously demonstrated that radiotherapy is a cost-effective and necessary tool in cancer treatment. However, globally there is a growing divide between demand and supply of radiotherapy services. In low- and middle-income countries, this resource gap is particularly problematic. By region, the Asia-Pacific has been demonstrated to have the highest absolute deficit in radiotherapy services. Radiation oncologists in Australia and New Zealand are geographically well positioned to assist departments within the Asia-Pacific to help to reduce these inequities. The Asia-Pacific Radiation Oncology Special Interest Group (APROSIG) aims to support oncology professionals in the Asia-Pacific to develop safe and sustainable cancer services. Members have already contributed to multiple projects throughout the region, supported by grants and departmental funding. However, the backbone of support comes from volunteers sharing their time and expertise. The Australasian oncological community has the skills and knowledge to help not only those within our borders but also beyond. Such efforts provide the potential to develop valuable clinical, educational, research and leadership experiences whilst establishing networking opportunities throughout the most populated regions of the world. More options for growth and work in global health must be investigated, encouraging future trainees to consider a role within the global cancer community. Without prompt and continued action, the resource deficit is likely to grow and the inequity in accessing radiotherapy and other cancer services further magnified.

There is a lack of large population-based studies examining patterns of curative treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Australia. This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of curative treatment for NCSLC at a population level and identify factors associated with its use in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.Patients diagnosed with localized or locoregional NSCLC between 2009 and 2014 were identified from the NSW Central Cancer Registry. Curative treatment was defined as surgery or radiotherapy with a 45 Gy minimum dose. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to investigate factors associated with the receipt of curative treatment. A Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to analyze the factors associated with 2-year overall survival (OS).Of the 5722 patients diagnosed with NSCLC in the study period, 3355 (59%) patients received curative treatment and 2367 (41%) patients did not receive curative treatment. The receipt of curative treatment was significantly associated with younger patients, female gender, localized disease, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) = 0. The use of curative treatment increased significantly over time from 2009 (55%) to 2014 (63%) and varied significantly from 24% to 70% between local health districts (LHDs) of residence. Younger age, female gender, localized disease, CCI = 0, and overseas country of birth were significantly associated with 2-year OS. The 2-year OS significantly improved from 70% in 2009 to 77% in 2014 for patients who received curative treatment.The use of curative treatment for patients with potentially curable NSCLC was low at 59%. However, the use of curative treatment and survival have increased over time. Significant variation was noted in the use of curative treatment between LHDs.

Purpose Nonrandomized data exploring pancreas stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has demonstrated excellent local control rates and low toxicity. Before commencing a randomized trial investigating pancreas SBRT, standardization of prescription dose, dose constraints, simulation technique, and clinical target volume delineation are required. Methods and Materials Specialists in radiation oncology, medical oncology, hepatobiliary surgery, and gastroenterology attended 2 consecutive Australasian Gastrointestinal Trials Group workshops in 2017 and 2018. Sample cases were discussed during workshop contact with specifically invited international speakers highly experienced in pancreas SBRT. Furthermore, sample cases were contoured and planned between workshop contact to finalize dose constraints and clinical target volume delineation. Results Over 2 separate workshops, consensus was reached on dose and simulation technique. The working group recommended a dose prescription of 40 Gy in 5 fractions. Treatment delivery during end-expiratory breath hold with triple-phase contrast enhanced computed tomography was recommended. In addition, dose constraints, stepwise contouring guidelines, and an anatomic atlas for pancreatic SBRT were developed. Conclusions Pancreas SBRT is emerging as a promising treatment modality requiring prospective evaluation in randomized studies. This work attempts to standardize dose, simulation technique, and volume delineation to support the delivery of high quality SBRT in a multicenter study.

Introduction Mongolia has a population of 3.3 million and is classified by the WHO as a lower middle-income country. Cancer is now a major public health issue and one of the leading causes of mortality. Within the framework of an existing national cancer control plan, the National Cancer Centre of Mongolia (NCCM) aimed to implement 3D conformal radiation planning and linac-based treatment delivery. Methods In 2018, an opportunity arose for collaboration between the Mongolia Society for Radiation Oncology (MOSTRO), the National Cancer Centre Mongolia (NCCM), the Asia-Pacific Radiation Oncology Special Interest Group (APROSIG) of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) and the Asia-Pacific Special Interest Group (APSIG) of the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) and radiation therapists (RTTs) from a range of Australian centres. We describe here the results to date of this collaboration. Results Despite a number of significant technical and practical barriers, successful linac commissioning was achieved in 2019. Key factors for success included a leadership receptive to change management, stable bureaucracy and health systems, as well as a synchronised effort, regional cooperation and mentorship. Conclusion Future directions for ongoing collaborative efforts include a continued focus on education, practical training in radiotherapy planning and delivery and postgraduate education initiatives. Radiotherapy safety and quality assurance remain an ongoing priority, particularly as technological advances are sequentially implemented.

Introduction Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is an emerging, therapeutic option in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A multicentre Liver Ablative Stereotactic Radiation (LASR) database was established to provide a collaborative platform for Australian institutions to define the practice of liver SBRT for HCC. This study explores the patterns of SBRT practice amongst Australian institutions. Methods This was a multi-institutional retrospective study of patients treated with SBRT for HCC at 10 institutions between January 2013 and December 2019. Patients' demographics, disease characteristics and SBRT details were evaluated. Results Three hundred and seventeen patients were evaluated with a median age of 67 years (range, 32-90). Liver cirrhosis was present in 88.6%, baseline Child-Pugh score was A5/6 in 85.1% and B7/8 in 13.2%. Median size of HCC treated was 30 mm (range, 10-280). 63.1% had early-stage disease (Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage 0/A) and 36% had intermediate/advanced-stage disease (BCLC B/C). In 2013/2014, six courses of SBRT were delivered, increasing to 108 in 2019. SBRT was prescribed in five fractions for 71.3% of the cohort. The most common dose fractionation schedule was 40 Gy in five fractions (24.3%). Median biologically effective dose (BED10 ) delivered was 85.5 Gy for early-stage and 60 Gy for intermediate/advanced disease, respectively. The most common prescription range was 100-120 Gy BED10 (32.8%). Conclusion SBRT utilisation for HCC is increasing in Australia. There was wide variation in size of tumours and disease stages treated, and prescription patterns. Uniform reporting of clinical and dosimetric details are important in refining the role of liver SBRT.

Accurate delineation of the proximal bronchial tree (PBT) is crucial for appropriate assessment of lung tumor centrality and choice of Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) dose prescription. Here, we investigate variabilities in manual PBT delineation and their potential to influence assessing lesion centrality. A fully automatic, intensity-based tool for PBT contouring and measuring distance to the target is also described. This retrospective analysis included a total of 61 patients treated with lung SABR. A subset of 41 patients was used as a training dataset, containing clinical PBT contour and additional subsequently generated manual contours. The tool was optimized and compared against manual contours in terms of volume, distance to the target and various overlap/similarity metrics. The remaining 20 patients were used as a validation dataset to investigate the dosimetric effects of variations between manual and automatic PBT contours. Considerable interobserver variability was observed, particularly in identifying the superior and inferior borders of the PBT. Automatic PBT contours were comparable to manual contours with average Dice of 0.63 to 0.79 and mean distance to agreement of 1.78 to 3.34 mm. No significant differences in dosimetric parameters were found between automatically and manually generated contours. A moderate negative correlation was found between PBT maximum dose and distance to the lesion (p < 0.05). Variability in manual PBT delineation may result in inconsistent assessment of tumor centrality. Automatic contouring can help standardize clinical practice, support investigations into the link between SABR outcomes and lesion proximity to central airways and the development of predictive toxicity models that incorporate precise measurements of tumor location in relation to high-risk organs.

12020 Background: Early referral to palliative care was associated with improved health-related quality of life (HRQL) and overall survival (OS) in a US phase 3 trial in lung cancer patients (pts). International studies in mixed cancer types have reported conflicting results. PEARL aimed to determine whether early referral to palliative care would improve HRQL, OS, and resource use in Australian pts with recently diagnosed, advanced thoracic cancers. Methods: Eligible participants (pts) in this unblinded, multi-centre, randomised, phase 3 trial had advanced thoracic cancers diagnosed within 60 days, and the ability to complete patient-rated outcome measures (PROMS). Pts were randomly allocated to early referral to palliative care (ER) or referral at clinician’s discretion (DR). All pts received standard oncological care. PROMS were completed at baseline, every 3-4 weeks for 6 months, then 6-8 weekly. The primary objective was to determine the frequency of sustained, substantial improvements in HRQL, defined as a 5-point improvement in the FACT-L Trial Outcome Index (TOI) maintained for at least 2 consecutive assessments. Secondary outcomes included OS, documentation of advanced care plan (ACP), PROM scores at 12 weeks, anxiety/depression (PROMIS-ED), lung cancer symptoms (FACT-L), global HRQL (ICECAP-SCM), carer-satisfaction and burden, and understanding of illness and prognosis. The accrual target of 200 gave 80% power (alpha 0.05) to detect an absolute improvement of 20% in the proportion of pts achieving the primary endpoint. Results: 113 pts and 78 carers were recruited when the trial closed for slow accrual. Pt characteristics were well balanced: 88 (75%) had NSCLC, 18 (16%) small cell and 7 (6%) mesothelioma. Median age was 69 (IQR 62-74), 63 (56%) were male; systemic anti-cancer therapy ongoing or planned in 88 (78%). Median follow-up was 30 months. First consultations with a palliative care specialist within 60 days of diagnosis occurred in more pts assigned ER vs DR (57% vs 3.5%). Sustained substantial improvements in FACT-L TOI were reported by similar numbers of pts assigned ER vs DR: 33% vs 32%, p = 0.9. OS was similar among those assigned ER versus DR (median 12 vs 18.4 months, p = 0.11). A similar % had a written advanced care plan at death: 15/40 (39%) vs 15/33 (47%). We found no important differences between arms in global HRQL (ICECAP-SCM), depression/anxiety (PROMIS-ED), lung cancer symptoms (FACT-L), carer satisfaction (FAMCARE-2), carer burden (CRA), or understanding of illness by carers or pts. Conclusions: Early referral to palliative care, compared with discretionary referral, did not improve important outcomes for Australian thoracic cancer pts or carers. Our findings suggest that the palliative care needs of such pts were addressed equally well by delayed referral when clinically indicated, resulting in reduced burden for resource-limited specialist palliative services. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12617000166370.

To identify core competencies for postgraduate radiation oncology trainees in global health and cancer that may inform revisions across radiation oncology residency specialty training curricula.A review of the literature was conducted to identify all potential global health competency items. An international two-phase Delphi process was conducted with experts in oncology. In phase 1, all experts scored, on a nine-point Likert scale, the degree to which they agreed an item should be included in the competency profile. Items with a mean score ≥7 were included, those scoring 4-6 were reviewed in phase 2, and items scored ≤3 were excluded. In phase 2, items were discussed and subsequently ranked for inclusion or exclusion in the competency profile. Items with75% voting for inclusion were included in the final competency profile.In total, 142 potential global health competency items were identified. Sixty-one items were removed as redundant or irrelevant, leaving 81 items for the Delphi process. Eighteen specialists were invited to participate, with 10 (56%) agreeing to participate in phase 1 of the Delphi process. Participants represented 10 centres in seven countries. Of the 81 items ranked in phase 1, 72 items (89%) had a mean score ≥7 and were automatically included in the final competency profile. The remaining nine items received a score of 4-6 and were discussed in phase 2 of the Delphi process, of which three received75% agreement for inclusion and were excluded. The result was a final list of 78 enabling competency items.The radiation oncology global health competency profile represents an international consensus on the items that can inform radiation oncology training requirements.

Background and Purpose: Four-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) is widely used in radiotherapy (RT) planning and remains the current standard for motion evaluation. We assess a 4D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence in terms of motion and image quality in a phantom, healthy volunteers and patients undergoing RT. Materials and Methods: The 4D-MRI sequence is a prototype T1-weighted 3D gradient echo with radial acquisition with self-gating. The accuracy of the 4D-MRI respiratory sorting based method was assessed using a MRI-CT compatible respiratory simulation phantom. In volunteers, abdominal viscera were evaluated for artefact, noise, structure delineation and overall image quality using a previously published four-point scoring system. In patients undergoing abdominal RT, the tumour (or a surrogate) was utilized to assess the range of motion on both 4D-CT and 4D-MRI. Furthermore, imaging quality was evaluated for both 4D-CT and 4D-MRI. Results: In phantom studies 4D-MRI demonstrated amplitude of motion error of less than 0.2 mm for five, seven and ten bins. 4D-MRI provided excellent image quality for liver, kidney and pancreas. In patients, the median amplitude of motion seen on 4D-CT and 4D-MRI was 11.2 mm (range 2.8–20.3 mm) and 10.1 mm (range 0.7–20.7 mm) respectively. The median difference in amplitude between 4D-CT and 4D-MRI was −0.6 mm (range −3.4–5.2 mm). 4D-MRI demonstrated superior edge detection (median score 3 versus 1) and overall image quality (median score 2 versus 1) compared to 4D-CT. Conclusions: The prototype 4D-MRI sequence demonstrated promising results and may be used in abdominal targeting, motion gating, and towards implementing MRI-based adaptive RT. Keywords: MRI, Motion management, 4D-MRI, abdominal radiotherapy, Four dimensional magnetic resonance imaging

Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic utility and reproducibility of a qualitative 5-point 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET primary visual score (PVS) in patients with oesophageal and gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ) cancer. Methods This was a retrospective review of patients with histologically proven oesophageal or GOJ cancer who received curative intent therapy. Clinical, pathological and imaging data were extracted from electronic medical records. Patients were required to have pre-treatment and post-treatment FDG-PET scans, that were evaluated with a 5-point primary visual score (prePVS, postPVS). The changes in PVS (ΔPVS) were correlated with progression-free survival and overall survival. Interobserver variability was assessed using Cohen's Kappa intraclass correlation and agreement. Results Sixty-seven patients were retrospectively identified. Two (3%), 36 (54%) and 29 (43%) of the patients had stage I, II and III disease respectively. Twenty-five (37%) patients had squamous cell carcinoma. Thirty-seven (55%) patients proceeded onto surgical resection. postPVS was associated with both PFS (P = 0.013) and OS (P = 0.0002). ΔPVS predicted for PFS (P = 0.002) and OS (P = 0.0003). When thresholds of response were considered, agreement was 80.6% (K = 0.78) and 74.6% (K = 0.69) for postPVS and ΔPVS respectively. Conclusion Qualitative assessment of oesophageal and GOJ cancers utilising FDG-PET is reproducible and may be able to prognosticate outcomes in patients undergoing treatment. Prospective validation is required.

Introduction Stereotactic radiation therapy is a highly specialised technique which requires careful and structured implementation. As part of a national stereotactic programme implementation, protocols were developed and a national stereotactic chart round was formed, which strongly recommended attendance and presentation of all cases before treatment. Herein, we describe our experiences launching a national chart round and its importance in a stereotactic programme.Method Stereotactic chart rounds were held via videoconference between July 2018 and July 2019. Data collected included attendances, patient-related information including, diagnosis, clinical background, treatment intent, prescribed dose and fractionation and technical approach. Consensus recommendations regarding changes to treatment approaches were also recorded.Results For the 12 months recorded, there were 1126 attendances, from 144 individual attendees, across 21 locations. In total, 285 cases (237 new cases, and 48 re-presentations) were presented by 27 radiation oncologists (ROs) from 13 different locations. From the cases presented, 65 changes were recommended from 53 patients (22.3%), including 27 (11.4%) changes to contours, 18 (7.6%) changes to dose prescription/fractionation, 9 (3.8%) changes to plan dosimetry, 1 (0.4%) changes to treatment technique and 10 (4.2%) recommendations for which stereotactic radiation therapy was not advised. A significant inverse relationship was found between frequency of recommended changes and the individual RO's stereotactic case load (P < 0.002).Conclusion The implementation of a national stereotactic chart held via videoconference has ensured national protocol compliance across the network of locations. Furthermore, the chart rounds have allowed the entire multidisciplinary team to be provided with mentorship and guidance. Increasing number of cases presented was associated with lower rates of recommended changes highlighting the impact of experience and the need for continued mentorship.

TPS4172 Background: Eighty per cent of patients with non-metastatic pancreatic cancer have high-risk, borderline resectable (BRPC) or locally advanced pancreas cancer (LAPC), conferring a 5-year overall survival of only 12%. MASTERPLAN evaluates the safety and activity of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) added to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in these patient cohorts. Methods: MASTERPLAN is an investigator-initiated prospective multi-centre randomized phase II trial. Inclusion criteria include histologically confirmed high-risk, BRPC or LAPC. High risk is defined as tumour > 4cm, extrapancreatic extension or node positive. Randomisation is 2:1 to chemotherapy + SBRT (investigational arm) or chemotherapy (control arm) by minimisation with stratification by operability (potentially operable - high risk; BRPC versus inoperable – LAPC; medically inoperable), planned chemotherapy and institution. Both treatment arms receive 6 x 2 weekly cycles of modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX). Gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel is permitted if mFOLFIRINOX is unsuitable. The investigational arm receives SBRT (40Gy in 5 fractions) with real time quality assurance. Resectability will be evaluated following initial chemotherapy +/- SBRT. Adjuvant chemotherapy is 6 cycles (12 weeks) of mFOLFIRINOX, or the same duration of gemcitabine and capecitabine (GEMCAP) if neoadjuvant gemcitabine/ nab-paclitaxel given. SBRT adverse events (AEs) will be recorded until study cessation. The primary endpoint is 12-month locoregional control. Secondary endpoints: safety, surgical morbidity and mortality, radiological response rate, progression free survival, pathological response rate, surgical resection rate, R0 resection rate, quality of life, deterioration free survival and overall survival. Biospecimens are collected for translational research for potential prognostic/predictive biomarkers of clinical endpoints and include serial tumour tissue collection from patients undergoing fiducial marker insertion and/or surgery, biopsy at disease progression, serial blood collection and serial buccal and faecal sample collection. An interim analysis will review locoregional failure, distant metastasis and rate of death on the first 40 patients after completion of 12 months follow up. The sample size is 120 patients (80 intervention:40 control), balanced for BRPC/LAPC (60 in each cohort). The minimum follow up is 12 months. The first site opened in October 2019 and 10 patients have been recruited from five sites at 17 Feb 2021. Overall 15 sites in Australia and New Zealand are planned to open to recruitment. Australian Clinical Trials Registry Number: ACTRN12619000409178. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12619000409178.

When developed and implemented effectively, national cancer control plans (NCCPs) improve cancer outcomes at the population level. However, many countries do not have a high-quality, operational NCCP, contributing to disparate cancer outcomes globally. Until now, a standard reference of NCCP core elements has not been available to guide development and evaluation across diverse countries and contexts. In this Policy Review, we describe the methods, process, and outcome of an initiative to develop an itemised and evidence-based comprehensive checklist of core elements for NCCP formulation. The final list provides a ready-to-use guide to support NCCP development and to facilitate internal and external critical appraisal of existing NCCPs for countries of all income levels and settings. Governments, policy makers, and stakeholders can utilise this checklist, while considering their own unique contexts and priorities, from the drafting through to the implementation of NCCPs.

Introduction Hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) in the setting of early invasive breast cancer has been shown to have similar local control rates and cosmetic outcomes as conventionally fractionated RT. This study compares ipsilateral recurrence rates between hypofractionated and conventional RT, with and without a boost. The effect of hypofractionated RT and chest wall separation (CWS) on cosmetic outcome was also assessed. Methods All patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treated between 1998 and 2012 across two sites of a single cancer institution were retrospectively studied. Patients were analysed according to those receiving conventional RT (≤2 Gy per fraction) and those receiving hypofractionated RT (>2 Gy per fraction), as well as the presence or absence of a tumour bed boost. Data were collected through electronic medical records and local cancer registry. Cosmetic outcome was scored by physicians on a four-point scale during clinical follow-up appointments. Results One hundred and ninety-seven patients were treated for DCIS during the study period. One hundred and forty-one were treated with conventional RT, and 56 with hypofractionated RT. After a median follow up of 4.4 years, there were 12 ipsilateral recurrences, of which seven were invasive disease and five DCIS. Ten recurrences occurred in patients who received conventional RT (7.1% recurrence rate) and two in those who received hypofractionated RT (3.6% recurrence rate) (P = 0.48). Cosmetic outcomes were not significantly different between conventional and hypofractionated RT (P = 0.06). Conclusions Hypofractionation represents a suitable alternative for treating DCIS in the absence of randomised data.

Poster: "2015 ASM / R-0116 / Relationship between CT-Derived Gross Tumour Volume (GTV) and the FDG-PET/CT-Derived Metabolic Tumour Volume (MTV): An Exploratory Study in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Radiotherapy " by: " A. Oar , M. Jameson, I. Ho-Shon, P. Phan, L. Holloway, D. Wang, J. Descallar, A. Pramana, S. Vinod, M. Field, E.-S. Koh; Sydney/AU"

Item does not contain fulltext PURPOSE: Small cell carcinomas of the bladder (SCCB) account for fewer than 1% of all urinary bladder tumors. There is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment for SCCB. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Fifteen academic Rare Cancer Network medical centers contributed SCCB cases. The eligibility criteria were as follows: pure or mixed SCC; local, locoregional, and metastatic stages; and age >/=18 years. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated from the date of diagnosis according to the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank and Wilcoxon tests were used to analyze survival as functions of clinical and therapeutic factors. RESULTS: The study included 107 patients (mean [+/-standard deviation, SD] age, 69.6 [+/-10.6] years; mean follow-up time, 4.4 years) with primary bladder SCC, with 66% of these patients having pure SCC. Seventy-two percent and 12% of the patients presented with T2-4N0M0 and T2-4N1-3M0 stages, respectively, and 16% presented with synchronous metastases. The most frequent curative treatments were radical surgery and chemotherapy, sequential chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and radical surgery alone. The median (interquartile range, IQR) OS and DFS times were 12.9 months (IQR, 7-32 months) and 9 months (IQR, 5-23 months), respectively. The metastatic, T2-4N0M0, and T2-4N1-3M0 groups differed significantly (P=.001) in terms of median OS and DFS. In a multivariate analysis, impaired creatinine clearance (OS and DFS), clinical stage (OS and DFS), a Karnofsky performance status

Background: The 2017 World Health Assembly resolution on cancer (WHA70.12) defined a key action for governments to be the implementation of a national cancer control plan (NCCP) with a focus on equity and access. A survey of member states performed in 2015 by WHO found that 87% of countries have NCCPs but only 68% are operational. There are limited data analyzing the quality of NCCPs and an evidence-based 'best practice' appraisal tool is lacking. Aim: We formulated an evidence-based comprehensive checklist for the critical appraisal of an NCCP, for potential application for countries across all continents and income classifications. Methods: An extensive literature review was performed to identify previous publications used to advise on or assess NCCPs. Each article was reviewed by three investigators and potential quality items were created to form the preliminary checklist. Items were ranked according to the frequency of appearance in the identified publications, then further refined by an expert panel of global cancer partners including NCCP researchers, civil society, NGOs and technical content experts. Checklist items were categorized to ensure comprehensiveness across both the cancer continuum and health systems building blocks. Multiple choice answers for checklist items were created to allow ease of use and reproducibility. Concordance between multiple reviewers was assessed to confirm precision of the appraisal. Results: Twelve publications/documents which advise on NCCP design were identified in the literature. From these, 65 checklist items were identified and included in the tool; each item was present in a median of 2 publications (range 1-8). An additional 13 items which were absent from the twelve documents were added, as the authors and the expert panel viewed these to be important in appraising an NCCP. This gave a total of 78 check list items for quality assessment, grouped in the following categories: (1) General overview; (2) Prevention; (3) Diagnosis, staging and screening; (4) Treatment (5) Service delivery (6) Governance; (7) Health workforce; (8) Health information systems; (9) Research; (10) Finance and (11) Overall summary. The checklist was refined for clarification of language and content after trialing the draft tool for current NCCPs from ten countries. A final validation was performed on six additional countries that demonstrated strong concordance between reviewers, no further changes were made. The final checklist also allows for non-communicable disease (NCD) plans to be appraised as part of cancer policy review in each country. Conclusion: We have developed a comprehensive tool for the quality assessment of NCCPs. An appraisal of all available NCCPs globally is currently underway using this recently-formed check-list. This tool can also potentially be used by governments, policy makers and stakeholders as a 'best practice' guide when formulating and/or updating their country's NCCP.