European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) strategy 2024-2026: Growth and diversification in a rapidly changing world.

In 2019, the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) published its 2030 Vision "Radiation Oncology, Optimal Health, For All, Together". However, in 2020, the global pandemic, coinciding with the Society's 40th anniversary, had long-term consequences on global behaviours and on the financial environment for scientific associations worldwide. In 2022, ESTRO conducted a survey among its members, revealing their strong appreciation for networking opportunities and the creation of high-quality interdisciplinary scientific content. In response to the survey findings and to address the evolving landscape following the COVID pandemic, ESTRO initiated a strategic review process to respond to, and refocus on, the opportunities and challenges ahead. This paper, marking a turning point in ESTRO's strategy for achieving its Vision 2030 in a post-pandemic era, describes the 2022-23 strategic review process, discussions, and consequent recommendations. The comprehensive strategic review process involved: (i) pre-meeting preparations with surveys and strategic documents; (ii) a carefully themed three-day retreat in Brussels incorporating a blend of plenary sessions, workshops focusing on ESTRO's role, value creation and capture, strategic objectives; and (iii) a post-retreat phase including qualitative analysis and development of action plans. The strategic review emphasized the need for adaptive tactics for scientific associations to remain current and productive in the face of changing global conditions. The development of key strategic goals for the years 2024-2026 focused on improving research impact, strengthening and diversifying ESTRO's educational offerings and fostering proactive and mutually beneficial partnerships. The Board approved these objectives, alongside prioritising digital innovation, financial sustainability, and community engagement for ESTRO's continued growth and development. In essence, ESTRO aims to advocate, empower, expand, and diversify its community, with the overarching goal of enhancing cancer care for patients in Europe, and beyond.

Reduciendo el impacto de COVID-19 sobre la radioterapia oncológica en países en desarrollo: revisión rápida y consenso de expertos / Reducing the impact of COVID-19 on radiation oncology units of developing countries: a rapid review and expert consensus

OBJETIVO: Establecer recomendaciones para la toma de decisiones de manejo en radioterapia durante la pandemia de COVID-19, adaptadas a un país con recursos de salud limitados. MÉTODOS: A través de una revisión rápida de la literatura se buscaron publicaciones que describieran medidas para reducir el riesgo de infección por COVID-19, así como también pautas de manejo para reducir la carga de trabajo en las unidades de radioterapia. Se incluyeron en el alcance de esta revisión las siguientes patologías: tumores ginecológicos, cáncer de mama, tumores gastrointestinales, tumores genitourinarios, tumores de cabeza y cuello, cáncer de piel, tumores del sistema nervioso central y linfomas. Un grupo de expertos discutió en línea los datos extraídos y redactó las recomendaciones. Mediante un método Delphi modificado, se evaluó el consenso entre 14 radio-oncólogos certificados. Se evaluó la calidad de la evidencia que sustentó las recomendaciones sobre esquemas de tratamiento. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron un total de 57 documentos. De 25 trabajos se extrajeron las estrategias para reducir el riesgo de infección. De los restantes, se obtuvieron las recomendaciones para cada patología. Las recomendaciones están orientadas a establecer escenarios específicos donde se pueden omitir, diferir, priorizar y acortar los tratamientos. En el ítem de acortar se recomiendan esquemas de tratamiento para cada patología, priorizando los esquemas hipofraccionados cuando fue posible. CONCLUSIÓN: Se plantean estrategias para la gestión de los servicios de radioterapia con el objetivo de garantizar que los tratamientos de alta calidad para pacientes oncológicos sigan entregándose, pese a la crisis sanitaria ocasionada por COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To generate recommendations on the management of radiotherapeutic treatments during the pandemic, adapted to a country with limited health resources. METHODS: We did a rapid review of the literature, searching for papers that describe any measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, as well as management guidelines to reduce the workload, in radiotherapy units. The following conditions were included in the scope of this review: gynecological tumors, breast cancer, gastrointestinal tumors, genitourinary tumors, head and neck tumors, skin cancer, tumors of the central nervous system, and lymphomas. An expert group discussed online the extracted data and drafted the recommendations. Using a modified Delphi method, the consensus was reached among 14 certificated radio-oncologists. The quality of the evidence that supported the recommendations on treatment schedules was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 57 documents were included. Of these, 25 provided strategies to reduce the risk of infection. Recommendations for each condiction were extracted from the remaining documents. The recommendations aim to establish specific parameters where treatments can be omitted, deferred, prioritized, and shortened. Treatment schemes are recommended for each condition, prioritizing hypo-fractionated schemes whenever possible. CONCLUSIONS: We propose strategies for the management of radiotherapy services to guarantee the continuity of high-quality treatments despite the health crisis caused by COVID-19.

Proposal for the creation of a national strategy for precision medicine in cancer: a position statement of SEOM, SEAP, and SEFH

Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person. Precision medicine is transforming clinical and biomedical research, as well as health care itself from a conceptual, as well as a methodological viewpoint, providing extraordinary opportunities to improve public health and lower the costs of the healthcare system. However, the implementation of precision medicine poses ethical-legal, regulatory, organizational, and knowledge-related challenges. Without a national strategy, precision medicine, which will be implemented one way or another, could take place without the appropriate planning that can guarantee technical quality, equal access of all citizens to the best practices, violating the rights of patients and professionals, and jeopardizing the solvency of the healthcare system. With this paper from the Spanish Societies of Medical Oncology, Pathology, and Hospital Pharmacy, we highlight the need to institute a consensual national strategy for the development of precision medicine in our country, review the national and international context, comment on the opportunities and challenges for implementing precision medicine, and outline the objectives of a national strategy on precision medicine in cancer (AU)

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Evaluación de la calidad de un servicio de voluntariado en oncología: un Análisis Importancia-Valoración (IPA) / Quality assessment of a volunteer service in oncology: an importance performance analysis (IPA)

Objetivo: Usando el Análisis de Importancia-Valoración (IPA), este artículo examina la importancia y valoración percibidas por pacientes oncológicos y sus acompañantes de un programa de humanización realizado por voluntarios en un servicio de Radioterapia de un hospital general en España. Método: Los autores identifican una lista de siete ítems que surgen de la revisión de literatura en Marketing Sanitario; cada ítem fue puntuado con una escala Likert de 5 puntos. Resultados: Los resultados se obtuvieron de las respuestas a 148 entrevistas. El gráfico fue corregido con las recomendaciones sugeridas en la literatura y en el caso de los pacientes, muestra tres factores que caen en el cuadrante de "Mantener el buen trabajo", cuatro atributos caen dentro del cuadrante de "Baja Prioridad" y ningún atributo se observa en los cuadrantes de "Posible dilapidación de recursos" y "Concentrarse aquí". Se encuentran diferencias entre medias de la muestra de pacientes (n=68) y de familiares acompañantes (n=80) en los atributos de catering (t=-2,38; g.l.=146; p<0,05), y en el de información (t=2,16; g.l.=146; p<0,05). Conclusiones: Los resultados parecen útiles para identificar áreas de interés para los gestores de los servicios de salud para desarrollar programas de humanización de servicios basados en el trabajo de voluntarios y dirigidos a diferentes tipos de usuarios. Las implicaciones para los gerentes de programas de voluntariado e investigadores son discutidas

Objective: Using an Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), this paper examined a Radiotherapy and Oncological Patient and Non-patient perceived importance and performance of ten Humanization Volunteer Program selection factors in the General Hospital in Spain. Methods: The authors identified a list of seven items from the Health-marketing literature reviews, and each item was rated using a 5-point Likert scale. Responses were obtained of 148 usable interviews. Results: The importance-performance patient grid was corrected with literature recommendations and, in the patient sample, shows three items fall in the "Keep up the good work" quadrant, four items fall into the "Low priority" quadrant, zero items fall into the "Possible overkill" quadrant, and no items fall in the "Concentrate here" quadrant. Nonpatient (n=80) factors means shows statistical differences with patient (n=68) means in catering (t=-2.38; df.=146; p<0.05), and information (t=2.16; df146; p<0.05). Conclusions: The results are useful in identifying areas for strategic focus to help Health Services managers develop humanization programs with volunteer workers and different program users. Implication to volunteer programs managers and researchers were discussed

Improving efficacy and efficiency through the implementation of a new organisational model in a Radiation Oncology Department

Background. To evaluate a new organisational model, "process management" (PM), implemented in the Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria (HUVV) compared with traditional models used in other Radiation Oncology Departments (RODs), in terms of efficacy and efficiency. Methods. The study period ranged from September 2011 to August 2012. Efficacy was assessed, comparing the number of patients attended in first consultation and treated per month, average waiting time from referral to first visit and average waiting time from first visit to treatment. Data were collected from two public hospitals in Andalusia: the HUVV and another Public Hospital in Andalusia (PHA1). Efficiency was assessed comparing the costs per patient attended in first visit and treated at HUVV in 2012 compared with those of a second Public Hospital in Andalusia (PHA2) for 2008. The number of sessions saved using hypofractionation versus classical schemes during the year 2012 in HUVV was estimated, and the money saved was calculated. Results. In the efficacy analysis, we found significant differences in the average waiting time for first visit, start of treatment, and the number of patients seen and treated annually. After calculating the total cost generated in the ROD, the efficiency analysis showed a lower cost per patient attended in first visit (EUR 599.17) and per patient treated (EUR 783.50), with a saving of 6035 sessions using hypofractionated schemes. Conclusions. Process management in an ROD reduces time, both to first medical visit and to treatment initiation, allowing an optimisation of linear accelerator (LINAC) capacity (AU)

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The white book of radiation oncology in Spain

The White Book of Radiation Oncology provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of the speciality of radiation oncology in Spain and is intended to be used as a reference for physicians, health care administrators and hospital managers. The present paper summarises the most relevant aspects of the book's 13 chapters in order to bring the message to a wider audience. Among the topics discussed are the epidemiology of cancer in Spain, the role of the radiation oncologist in cancer care, human and material resource needs, new technologies, training of specialists, clinical and cost management, clinical practice, quality control, radiological protection, ethics, relevant legislation, research & development, the history of radiation oncology in Spain and the origins of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) (AU)

Control de calidad en radioterapia externa conformada e IMRT / No disponible

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Formación pregraduada y formación de posgrado en Radioterapia Oncológica. Criterios generales / Undergraduate and postgraduate training in Radiotherapy Oncology. General criteria

La oncología radioterápica forma parte del dispositivo nacional de asistencia médica especializada oficialmente establecido en España y exige que los especialista en ella tengan acceso directo a la evaluación de paicentes, participen desde el principio en el conjunto de decisiones conducente a la aproximación terapéutica multidisciplinar de los mismos, promuevan acciones encaminadas al desarrollo de la investigación y colaboren en la formación pre y postgraduada impartida por las instituciones académicas y sanitarias. Las actividades a realizar por los especialistas en oncología radioterápica aconsejan la inclusión en su proceso educativo de contenidos de naturaleza básica y clínica. Así se ha hecho en el nuevo programa formativo de la especialidad. Por otra parte, la especialización en oncología radioterápica impone el conocimiento y la manipulación experta de los dispositivos técnicos necesarios para el tratamiento con radiación ionizante del cáncer y otros procesos benignos. Una parte importante del periodo formativo de los especialistas debe dedicarse a la adquisición de competencia y aptitud técnica suficientes en el manejo de tales dispositivos, punto fuerte del proceso de especialización que nos distingue de otros especialistas y refuerza nuestra posición en el sistema de salud (AU)

In this paper, the author proposes that specialists should have direct Access to assessment detail for oncological patients, and that they should participate in decision taking processes from the outset, promote actions conductive to furthering research, and collaborate in undergraduate and postgraduate training courses offered by academic bodies and health institutions (AU)