Course Report

10-14 June 2024, Lisbon, Portugal

Course director: Eduard Gershkevitsh, Chief Medical Physicist, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia

I am Evan Marshall, a trainee clinical scientist specialising in radiotherapy physics based at Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, Wales. I decided to attend this course to develop my overall knowledge and understanding of the techniques, recent innovations, and challenges faced in modern radiotherapy. This was the first ESTRO course I attended, and it exceeded my prior expectations.

Firstly, the course provided a comprehensive overview of modern radiotherapy, covering a wide range of material, from fundamental concepts to advancing and complex techniques. For example, some lectures covered fundamental topics such as volumes in external beam radiotherapy, reference and non-reference dosimetry, commissioning, and quality assurance. Other lectures covered more advanced/specialist topics such as stereotactic radiotherapy, automation and AI, and particle therapy. Considering my level of experience, the base-level content served as an excellent overview and reminder. Many lectures also built upon the fundamental topics, incorporating increasingly complex ideas that challenged my understanding of radiotherapy. For example, since attending the course I have pondered and researched the use of automated planning techniques in adaptive radiotherapy.

The teaching was engaging and delivered at an appropriate pace, with Slido questionnaires spaced throughout to encourage discussion. Questions were encouraged and answered with clear concern for the learner’s understanding. For example, upon questioning the exclusion of a repair factor when considering an effective biological dose upon reirradiation, Dr Louise Murray took time and care to explain the reasoning behind the exclusion, noting the lack of evidence to support such a repair factor. Prior to the course, attendees were encouraged to produce treatment plans for cancer in three anatomical sites and present their cases to the course cohort. These case discussion sessions were particularly useful for the assessment of current practice in my centre in comparison with the variety of techniques used in centres across Europe and the world.

Engaging in discussions with fellow attendees and course teachers provided ample opportunity for networking and sharing ideas. I acquired the contact details of scientists working in cancer centres utilising various treatment modalities, and conducting interesting and vital research projects. In addition, my fellow course attendees and teachers were very friendly and I had an exciting and memorable experience exploring the city of Lisbon.

The Physics for Modern Radiotherapy course experience was engaging, exciting, and invaluable in my development as a clinical scientist. I left the course with a broadened knowledge of radiotherapy and an awareness of areas in my practice where I lacked sufficient depth in understanding. I would highly recommend this course to any early career scientist or clinician.

Evan Marshall 

Trainee Clinical Scientist (Radiotherapy Physics)

Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, Wales

Evan.Marshall@wales.nhs.uk