This course dedicated to APBI will especially focus on patient selection and on the variety of techniques that can be used for the delivery of APBI. It will elaborate extensively on the technical aspects of the delivery of this specific form of radiation therapy, including optimal target volume delineation. The most pertinent general issues of breast cancer will be presented and discussed as well.

Apart from presentations, interactivity will be stimulated by organising clinical case discussions, target volume contouring exercises and debates. The faculty includes specialists in all technical approaches currently used for delivering APBI. Participants are warmly encouraged to share real (anonymised) clinical cases for the discussions.

Course director

Philip Poortmans, Radiation Oncologist, Iridium Netwerk & University of Antwerp (BE)

Teachers

Sandra Hol, Radiation Therapist (RTT), Institute Verbeeten, Tilburg (NL)

Orit Kaidar-Person, Radiation Oncologist, Sheba Medical Centre &University of Tel Aviv (IL)

Tibor Major, Medical Physicist, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest (HU)

Vratislav Strnad, Radiation Oncologist, University Hospital Erlangen (DE)

Special guest

Csaba Polgár, Radiation Oncologist, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest (HU)

Course content

• Epidemiology: is the proportion of early-stage low risk patients increasing?
• Patient selection based on tumour- and patient-related factors
• Local surgery: choices and techniques (including oncoplastic)
• Target volume delineation with discussions based on homework
• Practical treatment preparation and delivery - tips and tricks
• APBI techniques including external beam, intraoperative electron beam, interstitial, endocavitary brachytherapy and other techniques
• Pre-operative APBI
• Fractionation schedules
• Combination of external beam APBI with advanced treatment techniques including IGRT and respiratory control
• Long-term effects including cosmetic outcome after APBI
• Recent and on-going clinical trials
• Clinical case discussions.

Prerequisites

Before commencing this course, participants should: 

• Have at least basic experience with all aspects of radiation therapy for breast cancer patients. 
• If the participants are not radiation/clinical oncologists (in training) they should be involved in the interdisciplinary and/or multidisciplinary case discussions and/or in work related to treating breast cancer patients 
• Participate on beforehand in the exercises on target volume delineation for (A)PBI in breast cancer. A fun exercise for non-radiation oncologists too!

Teaching methods

3.5-day course including:

• 21 hours of lectures, case discussions, and debates
• 4 hours of practical workshops for treatment preparation including contouring, treatment planning and treatment delivery
• Didactic lectures
• Special workshops, debates, and case discussions
• Interactive sessions.

Methods of assessment

• Evaluation form

Mercure Budapest Castle Hill

Krisztina körút 41-43, 1013, Budapest, Hungary

Booking link here

Please, note that you can modify the check-in and check-out dates.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME

A draft programme is available here

Key words

Breast cancer, radiation therapy, multidisciplinary, breast conserving therapy, (A)PBI, clinical trials, target volume delineation, side effects, quality of life.

Accreditation

Application for CME recognition will be submitted to the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME), an institution of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). EACCME credits are recognized by the American Medical Association towards the Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA). Information on the status of the applications can be obtained from the ESTRO office.

Accreditation

Application for CME recognition will be submitted to the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME), an institution of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). EACCME credits are recognized by the American Medical Association towards the Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA). Information on the status of the applications can be obtained from the ESTRO office.

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2024 BEFORE registering to the course. To become an ESTRO member, benefit from the member registration rate and discover the many other member advantages, please visit the membership page.

Fees

* Members with specialty RadiationTherapist (RTT) may register at the In-Training fee

Early rates are applied up to three months before the starting date of the course.

Late rates are applied three months before the starting date of the course.

The fee includes the course material, coffees, lunches, and the social event.

Advance registration & payment are required.

Access to homework and/or course material will become available upon receipt of full payment.

Insurance and cancellation

Participants are strongly advised to take out their own personal insurance policy. ESTRO does not accept liability for individual medical, travel or personal accidents or incidents. Participants are strongly advised to take insurance policies to cover flight and accommodation cancellation penalties. ESTRO will not refund any travel or accommodation expenses.

For any cancellation made by the course or workshop participant, ESTRO School Events Cancellation Policy will be followed and all stated penalty fees will be applied. 

Reduced fees

Members from emerging countries may register at a preferential rate of 350 Euro. Emerging country fee applies to individuals from low-income and lower-middle-income economies according to the World Bank listing here.

Additionally, for this teaching course, all specialties from the following countries can benefit from this preferential rate: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.  In addition, medical physicists from Cyprus can email education@estro.org to apply for this fee.

The preferential rate of 350 Euro is granted automatically when you click on the  BOOK NOW  button and the conditions below are met:

1. Only ESTRO members for 2024 are eligible (please make sure your 2024 membership is in order before you click on the BOOK NOW button)
2. The application is submitted 3 months before the course start date.
3. Only one course per person per year can be subsidized by ESTRO
4. Sponsored candidates are not entitled to reduced fees (the invoicing address has to be the one of the participant)  
5. There are limited spaces available for each course in the price category. Places are granted on “first come first serve” basis.