Dear Radiation Oncology Insider,
At a time when the cost of healthcare is on everyone's mind, an increasing number of studies are being published evaluating just how effective radiation therapy is for some types of cancer and for subgroups of patients. There seems to be a focus on elderly patients.
Several studies piqued our interest to share with members of the Radiation Oncology Digital Community. These included an article discussing why radiation therapy treatment for elderly women with early-stage breast cancer isn't advisable, and another suggesting that elderly patients who've had surgery to resect non-small cell lung cancer may not benefit by having postoperative radiotherapy treatments, either. Click here and here to learn more.
Overall, the number of radiotherapy treatments in the U.S. is estimated at 20 million office visits, according to a new market research report from IMV Medical Information Division. Contributing writer Lin Muschlitz summarizes the trends identified with approximately 2,290 treatment facilities based on 2010 data.
One trend identified is the steadily increasing use of proton beam therapy, as more facilities offering this treatment are opened. The Proton Task Force of the American Society for Radiation Oncology's Emerging Technology Committee has published an assessment of its use, which is summarized here.
The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has also spoken out. This week it published guidelines focusing on the role of the radiation therapist in radiation therapy safety. Under development for almost a year, the guidelines are must reading for department administrators, quality improvement and safety officers, and every radiologic technologist who is involved with radiotherapy treatments. Because of its importance, it is our Insider Exclusive.
If you're interested in controversy, don't overlook an analysis of the safest width of negative surgical margins for patients having breast conservation surgery. Click here to read the details.
Finally, just off the presses is a synopsis on cancer trends from the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, a collaborative summary prepared by the leading cancer organizations in the U.S.
