"Superhero" concept to avoid anesthesia for daily radiation treatment in childhood cancer.

Advancements in therapeutic interventions have led to significant improvement in the overall management of childhood cancer. Radiotherapy forms an important component of their treatment. Modern radiotherapy technique where an optimal therapeutic ratio can be obtained demands proper and adequate immobilization of the child. This can be technically challenging sometimes, particularly when the child is noncompliant. To address this hurdle, we have used this concept of "Superhero," where we have decorated and painted the thermoplastic masks that often used in the head and neck and cranial irradiation. We have received adequate compliance for this method, and the need for anesthesia was slackened.

Validation of a simple technique for accurate treatment delivery for bilateral breast irradiation using the electronic portal imaging device.

Background and Aims: While bilateral breast cancer is rare, the challenge for the radiation oncologist is to limit the dose to multiple important organs-at-risk and reducing the chance of overlapping tangential fields to limit hotspots. In this study, we present a simple technique to verify the setup accuracy of breast tangential fields using the electronic portal imaging device (EPID) for bilateral breast cancer. Patients and Methods: A 74-year-old female, with bilateral breast cancers, right staged as T1N0M0 and the left T2N1M0, received postoperative radiotherapy following bilateral breast conservative surgery. Standard CT-based simulation and target delineation were done, followed by treatment planning using classical field arrangements with two separate isocenters, one for each breast (keeping identical anteroposterior and superior-inferior coordinates). The planned doses were 45 Gy/25 # for whole breasts, plus tumor bed boost of 15 Gy/6 # and 50 Gy/25 # to left supraclavicular fossa. After setting up the patient, two small lead wires were placed at the medial borders of medial tangents (as seen on light fields) of each breast (longer one for left), followed by EPID imaging (dual exposure: One lateral tangent field image and other larger to include lead wires) of respective contralateral lateral tangential fields to verify that there was no actual overlapping with the opposite medial tangential field, as indicated by the lead wires. Conclusion: The study has validated a simple EPID-based technique for routine use in the field matching for radiotherapy of bilateral breast cancer.

Nationwide Study to Assess the Psychosocial, Financial, and Professional Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Radiation Therapy Technologists.

PURPOSE: Radiation therapy technologists (RTTs), being the frontline health care workers, are vulnerable to COVID-19 disease and subsequent detrimental consequences of the pandemic. Hence, the study was undertaken for the comprehensive assessment of adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic on RTTs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, survey-based study was carried out among RTTs working in various cancer centers across India. Assessment was carried out by using a questionnaire comprising the demographic profile and a structured instrument to quantify psychological, social, financial, and professional impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Responses were collected between February 1, 2021, and April 31, 2021. RESULTS: Of 302 responders, more than two third of the RTTs were concerned for getting COVID-19 disease either outside the hospital (n = 210, 69.5%) or from patients or attendants (n = 220, 72.8%). More than one third of RTTs were very much concerned for increased financial burden of COVID-19 pandemic (n = 94, 34.1%), and one third (n = 92, 30.5%) were very much concerned for newly imposed restrictions. RTTs working in a private setup (P = .000), living in a tier 1 city (P = .028), and lacking the coverage of COVID-19 disease in health insurance (P = .010) faced a significantly higher financial burden. RTTs living in tier 1 city (P = .023) and those who were in profession for > 5 years (P = .013) had significantly higher concern for ensuring proper sanitization of the professional environment. More than half (n = 171, 56.6%) were interested in taking COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected psychosocial, financial, and professional well-being of RTTs even after subsidizing the initial wave, and a timely intervention is warranted for their well-being and to sustain oncologic facilities.