Programme

Overview: Poster Discussions are presented at one of the sessions scheduled at the two poster terminals in the exhibition. Each author will present a digital poster orally for 2 minutes, followed by 2 minutes for discussion. Sessions will not be streamed but authors are invited to upload per-recordings for the online platform.

Overview: Proffered Papers are presented at one of the sessions scheduled in the main session halls. Each author will present orally for 7 minutes, followed by 3 minutes for discussion. Sessions will be streamed.

Overview: How to increase the impact of your research? An important question that puzzles both young and more established researchers. During the yESTRO lunch symposium, some guides will be presented how to pitch your research, how to write a successful grant application and how and why to involve patients and public. In the “thinking out-of-the-box” sub-session, two experienced (implementation) researchers will enlighten us about the usefulness of other disciplines for your research projects.

Overview: There is a growing interest in the radiotherapy community in utilizing high LET radiation due to its ability to induce complex DNA damage, especially double strand breaks (DSB), and consequently more efficiently kill tumor cells. However, what exactly the definition of “complex DSB” is and how it translates into an increased cell kill remains to be further elucidated. In this session both the modelling approach as well as experimental data will be presented that bring us closer to answering those questions, by adding to our understanding of the generation of complex DSBs and their interplay with the cell genetic background and DBS repair mechanisms. Future directions for translating these fundamental insights into an increased radiotherapy efficacy will be highlighted in the last talk of the session.

Overview: Advances in radiation technology and imaging allow for highly accurate radiation treatments enabling the use of reirradiation as an increasing option for several cancers, including thoracic, head and neck cancer, brain and spine tumors; however, retreatments remain challenging because prior radiation dose is often close to the tolerance limit of surrounding normal structures. Published data suggest the efficacy and safety of a repeated course of radiotherapy, although prospective validation of this strategy is still pending. The session will provide an overview on current reirradiation strategies and issues. Technical aspects and clinical outcomes of reirradiation, radiological changes and toxicity at follow-up will be addressed in four different presentations.

Overview: This mind-challenging debate focuses on whether treating physicians or patients themselves should be in charge for follow-up after breast cancer treatment. By discussing the possible value of early detection of recurrences, the definition of high-risk patients, tools to detect recurrences, needs for evaluation of side effects, optimisation of physical and psychological well-being, and physical as well as emotional costs of follow-up examinations and visits, the debaters will try to convince us of their viewpoints. They will focus on patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives, patients’ empowerment, and not avoid a black & white position. A not to be missed debate!

Overview: In this session we will start with Martin Fast, who will be discussion various real-time motion mitigation techniques to deal with periodic cardiorespiratory motion, including tracking, trailing, gating, and intra-fractional re-planning. Subsequently, Pierluigi Bonomo will discuss how do deal with unpredictable non-periodic target motion and deformation. He will discuss intrafraction GTV changes in rectal and prostate cancer, and how MR-guidance can be used to deal with these. In the third lecture Simon Skouboe will provide his insights into how real-time dose accumulation can be used to detect potential under- or over-dosing, and how act on these. In the last lecture, Stephen Bowen will give an overview of imaging biomarkers that can be used to predict or measure biological response to treatment, and how they can be used to adapt radiation therapy.