Dear Radiation Oncology Insider,
Squamous carcinoma of the penis is rare in the U.S., with only 1,280 cases reported last year, according to the American Cancer Society. But for those who are diagnosed, the treatment options presented can be life-changing.
Surgery, the most traumatic treatment option for the patient, is frequently recommended by North American urologists in lieu of radiation therapy. But radiotherapy provides an organ-sparing alternative that has not been widely publicized to urologists.
Dr. Juanita Crook, radiation oncologist at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, provides an overview and update on the use of radiation therapy in the management of primary penile tumors. Find out what we discovered in this issue's Insider Exclusive.
In other news, we share the results of a new survey by IMV Medical Information Division on trends and activities at radiation oncology facilities in the U.S. According to the report, in 2007, nearly 1 million patients logged about 25 million treatment visits for radiation oncology.
While the number of patients remained stable, the number of procedure visits increased by 5% since 2006. The top three cancers treated with radiation therapy were prostate (21%), breast (20%), and lung (13%). To learn more about these trends -- and how new technology is impacting radiation oncology facilities -- read contributing writer Cheryl Hall Harris' just-published summary of the radiation oncology survey report. (AuntMinnie.com is a subsidiary of market research firm IMV Medical Information Division of Des Plaines, IL.)
It was disheartening to learn that black women who have had lumpectomies for breast cancer are scarcely represented among those million radiation oncology patients. A study presented at last week's 2008 Breast Cancer Symposium showed significant racial disparity in earlier statistics.
Finally, contributing writer Kathlyn Stone attended an important panel discussion on quality control at the recent American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) meeting. Click here to learn about new approaches -- and whether your department can benefit.
Stay tuned to your Radiation Oncology Digital Community for the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field.
