The Vienna, Austria-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched the first global initiative by a United Nations organization to improve pediatric radiation oncology treatment in low- and middle-income countries.
The IAEA's Paediatric Radiation Oncology Network (PRON) will involve 14 cancer treatment centers located in 13 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, according to a report published online in Radiotherapy and Oncology (September 14, 2009).
Childhood cancer accounts for approximately 2% of the global cancer burden. By 2015, the IAEA estimates that there will be 15 million new cases of cancer each year, 9 million of which will occur in low- and middle-income countries. The IAEA estimates that today more than 80% of children who have pediatric cancer live in less economically developed countries, a figure that will exceed 90% within 20 years.
Children diagnosed and treated for cancer in high-income countries have a nearly 80% survival rate 10 years later. By comparison, children who receive treatment for cancer in low- and middle-income countries have a survival rate of only 30%. To reduce this disparity, the IAEA has initiated over 130 active projects involving radiation therapy.
The objective of PRON is to improve adherence to evidence-based protocols and the quality of radiation therapy provided for children with cancer by improving quality assurance requirements and supportive care guidelines. It will include educational components and networking among centers to strengthen knowledge transfer and apply evidence-based approaches to radiation therapy, according to Dr. Eeva Salminen, who heads the program for the IAEA Division of Human Health's Applied Radiation Biology and Radiotherapy Committee.
The initiative will establish tumor boards for treatment decision support and monitoring, including symptom assessment and control. The IAEA Dosimetry Laboratory will provide dosimetry verification of the calibration of radiation beams used in the study.
The International Outreach Program of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, will be responsible for collecting data on radiation treatment by the participating centers. The data will be added to its Pediatric Oncology Network Database, an online multilingual database that facilitates the exchange of information and experience between physicians in diverse geographic regions who practice with different resources.
The data collected from the PRON initiative will enable the IAEA to evaluate improvements in practices of providing radiation treatment to children throughout the duration of the project.
Related Reading
IAEA study finds that interventional dose may be too high, August 5, 2009
IAEA urges scheme to track radiation in patients, April 30, 2009
Radiotherapy access must be improved in developing world: UN, June 27, 2003
Copyright © 2009 AuntMinnie.com
