Course Director

• Marianne Koritzinsky, Radiation Biologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto (CA)

Teachers

• Rob Coppes, Radiation Biologist, UMC Groningen, Groningen (NL)
• Vincent Grégoire, Radiation Oncologist, Léon Bérard Cancer Center, Lyon (FR)
• Karin Haustermans, Radiation Oncologist, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven (BE)
• Stephen McMahon, Radiation Biologist, Queen's University Belfast (UK)
• Laure Marignol, Radiation Biologist, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin (IE)

Local organiser

• Luca Boldrini, Radiation Oncologist, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome (IT)

The course aims to:

• Provide an introduction to radiation biology as applied to radiotherapy
• Cover the basic mechanisms of cell death/survival and the radiation response of tumours and normal tissues
• Explain the formulae of tissue tolerance
• Describe the biological basis for current approaches to the improvement of radiotherapy including novel fractionation schemes, retreatment, IMRT, modification of hypoxia, hadron therapy, combined radiotherapy/chemotherapy and biological modifiers of tumour and normal tissue effects

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course participants should be able to:

• Understand the biology of how ionizing radiation is able to effectively treat cancer
• Distinguish radiotherapy and its advantages from other cancer therapies
• Have the essential knowledge of radiobiology necessary for qualifying examinations

Course Content

• A series of basic lectures introducing molecular and clinical radiobiology
• Mechanisms and models of radiation cell killing
• The linear-quadratic approach to fractionation
• Molecular basis of radiation response
• Radiobiology and tolerance of normal tissues to (re)treatment
• Alternative fractionation schedules in radiotherapy
• Tumour hypoxia and the microenvironment
• Combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy
• The volume and dose-rate effect in radiotherapy
• Biological response modifiers (tumours, normal tissues) and molecular approaches to therapy
• Protons and other particles in radiotherapy
• Radiation-induced malignancies

Prerequisites

Before commencing this course participants should:

• Ensure their knowledge of basic biology and physics is at least high-school level
• Familiarise themselves with access to the journals covering radiobiology related to radiotherapy

Teaching Methods

• 27 hours of lectures
• 3 hours of tutorials
• 4 hours of discussions

Methods of Assessment

• MCQ
• Evaluation form.

Key Words

Radiobiology, radiation biology, radiation oncology, radiotherapy.

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 recognised 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.

NH Villa Carpegna

Via Pio IV, 6

00165 Roma

Italy

The scientific programme will follow

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2025 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

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, 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.  

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

1. Only ESTRO members for 2025 are eligible (please make sure your 2025 membership is in order before you click on the BOOK NOW  button)
2. Only one course per person per year can be subsidized by ESTRO
3. Sponsored candidates are not entitled to reduced fees (the invoicing address has to be the one of the participant)  

 Please note:

• We can only guarantee a certain number of reduced fees per course
• Application deadlines are the same as early registration fees 

Membership

ESTRO members can order products at substantially reduced prices. To benefit from the member registration rate, you must subscribe for the ESTRO membership 2025 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

The early online rate is applied until 2 months before the start of the course.

Late online rates are applied as of 2 months before the start of the course

Advance registration & payment are required.              

Registration will close on the date published on the front page of the course.

Cancellation

A registration to the online workshop may be cancelled without any fees before pre-online course material is sent out. Pre-online course material is sent out a few days before the first workshop lesson. After the pre-online course material is sent out, no refund of the registration fee is possible.

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, 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.  

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

1. Only ESTRO members for 2025 are eligible (please make sure your 2025 membership is in order before you click on the BOOK NOW button)
2. Only one course per person per year can be subsidized by ESTRO
3. Sponsored candidates are not entitled to reduced fees (the invoicing address has to be the one of the participant)  

 Please note:

• We can only guarantee a certain number of reduced fees per course
• Application deadlines
  • 2 months before the start of the course for online attendance