Overall aim of the GEC-ESTRO gyn working group

The GEC-ESTRO gyn working group (WG) aims to facilitate networking within research & development, clinical studies and education in gynecologic brachytherapy. Technology developments are particularly relevant for gyn brachytherapy and the GEC-ESTRO gyn WG aims to collaborate with industry partners to stimulate technology developments which connect academic/clinical efforts with product development.  The GEC-ESTRO gyn WG aims to initiate and contribute to international guidelines which involve gyn brachytherapy. The working group collaborates with other international societies to facilitate synergy, consensus and broad impact of guidelines and other projects.

Core values of the GEC-ESTRO gyn WG are : credibility, impact, transparency, mutual respect, and openness to ideas.

 

Fields of interest:

• Sites: cervix, endometrium, vulva, and vagina cancer
• Research:
  • Clinical studies
  • Technology developments: e.g. treatment planning, imaging for brachytherapy, image fusion, dose accumulation and brachytherapy applicators.
  • Practical implementation (contouring, treatment planning, automation, AI, imaging, quality indicators, etc.)
• Educational and quality of care efforts: European and international education, teaching courses, guideline activities

 

Collaboration

The GEC-ESTRO gyn group facilitates collaboration within and outside Europe as well as collaboration and alignment within ESTRO:

• Within ESTRO: GEC-ESTRO committee, ESTRO gyn focus group and ESTRO gyn teaching course

 

• Other societies: ESGO, IGCS, ABS, ASTRO, AAPM, IAEA, AROI, IBS etc.

 

Meetings

The GEC-ESTRO gyn working group organizes an annual meeting back-to-back with the GEC-ESTRO workshop: ESTRO Gyn network meeting. The purpose of the gyn network meeting is to:

• Present and discuss activities taking place within the GEC-ESTRO WG
• Share knowledge and preliminary data to help development of future gyn research activities
• Bring in experts from other societies to inspire the ESTRO gyn network and facilitate collaboration

The meeting broadly covers general topics relevant for gyn radiotherapy as for example: clinical studies, EBRT and brachytherapy treatment techniques, target/dose/fractionation, morbidity, combination therapy (chemotherapy, targeted / immunotherapy, hyperthermia), oligometastatic/recurrent disease, re-irradiation, and radiobiology.

 

Participation and contact

The GEC-ESTRO gyn network is an open network, and we welcome all colleagues who have specific interest in gyneacological brachytherapy. Please email Kari Tanderup if you are interested in joining the network.

 

Resources

• Reporting spreadsheet from Vienna (HDR) and Aarhus (PDR)
• www.EMBRACESTUDY.dk
• ICRU report 89 (www.ICRU.org; http://jicru.oxfordjournals.org)

Selection of publications from the Gyn GEC-ESTRO network and   EMBRACE