Teaching Session

ESTRO meets Asia 2024 Congress Report

This enlightening teaching session, which was chaired by Professor Bartosz Bak, highlighted the latest technological advances and the importance of patient-centred care in the field of radiotherapy.

Speakers explored how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising treatment planning and quality assurance; and the impact of online adaptive radiotherapy and real-time technologies for the management of intra-fraction motion. Additionally, the importance of patient-centred care and communication was emphasised; systemic challenges were addressed and strategies were highlighted that could improve patient engagement and satisfaction with radiotherapy.

Associate professor Filipe Moura began his talk by underscoring the transformative impact of continuous innovation in the enhancement of radiotherapy outcomes. He emphasised the significant role of advanced imaging techniques and AI in the improvement of treatment precision and efficacy. A/Prof Moura stressed that the field was moving towards AI-driven, fully automated procedures, which included image reconstruction, automatic segmentation, accelerated treatment planning algorithms and quality assurance. These advancements enable the use of real-time adaptive radiotherapy, which improves treatment accuracy and precision. A/Prof Moura showcased several case studies in which model-based algorithms had significantly optimised treatment planning and execution, which led to better patient prognoses.

He also discussed the adoption of surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) for real-time monitoring, which could lead to the global adoption of tattooless radiotherapy. As AI and automation become integral to healthcare, they promise significant improvements in radiotherapy outcomes. However, their integration into clinical practice must address ethical and legal concerns to ensure their safe and effective use.

A/Prof Sharon Wong's presentation was focused on the multifaceted challenges of the implementation of patient-centred care in radiotherapy. She identified systemic barriers, such as institutional rigidities and resource limitations, as significant obstacles that needed to be addressed to foster a more inclusive and patient-focused approach. Cultural factors and health literacy issues were also discussed; A/Prof Wong advocated the use of tailored communication strategies to bridge these gaps. In discussing future directions, A/Prof Wong highlighted the potential of holistic therapies to complement conventional radiotherapy. She emphasised the need to integrate empathetic communication and active listening into clinical practice. A/Prof Wong concluded by encouraging radiation therapists to be the faces of radiation therapy and to make a difference in their patients' lives.

 

From left to right: speakers Filipe Moura, and Sharon Wong and chair Bartosz Bak

The session provided a comprehensive overview of the current situation and future trajectory of radiotherapy and emphasised the need for innovation and patient-centred approaches. The insights that were shared by A/Prof Moura and A/Prof Wong highlighted the collective effort that is required to overcome existing challenges and seize future opportunities. As the field of radiotherapy continues to evolve, the integration of advanced technologies and empathetic care will be pivotal to achieving superior patient outcomes and satisfaction.

#innovation #AI-Driven #onlineART #realtime #patient-centred #healt

 

Prof Sharon Wong

Programme leader

Health and Social Sciences Cluster

Singapore Institute of Technology

Singapore

Member of ESTRO School

Prof Filipe Moura

CrossI&D Lisbon Research Center, Portuguese Red Cross Higher Health School Lisbon, Portugal

Functional Biology and Health Sciences, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain

Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, Higher Health School of Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Portugal