LATEST NEWS: 20 MAY

A number of TROG trials and projects garnered international attention this month, as researchers presented findings at one of the world’s largest radiotherapy and oncology meetings, ESTRO26.

Congratulations to the many TROG Members and research teams who contributed to the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) annual meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, which attracts more than 6,000 delegates from more than 80 countries.

Prof Shankar Siva from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre presented the outcomes of the TROG 15.03/ANZUP 16001 – FASTRACK II trial, offering promise for a new option for treating inoperable kidney cancer.

The phase II trial found that Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiation Therapy (SABR) controlled primary kidney cancer in 100% of participants, according to five-year outcome data that was published simultaneously in Lancet Oncology (see more on the FASTRACK II outcomes).

Prof Shankar also contributed to the conference closing sessions: “Dear Radiation Oncology – We have a dream” (pictured above).

Two presentations focused on the TROG 18.06 – FIG trial, which is examining the impact of incorporating pre-chemoradiation FET-PET imaging on treatment planning for glioblastoma.

TROG Quality Assurance Radiation Therapist Angela Whitehead (pictured left) presented a poster on the challenges and solutions to implementing an effective workflow for incorporating  radiation therapy (RT) treatment planning CT, MRI & FET-PET imaging in the multi-site trial, to enable RT target delineation and treatment planning comparisons.

FIG trial co-chair A/Prof Eng-Siew Koh from Liverpool Hospital also presented a poster on the trial, demonstrating the importance of full central nuclear medicine physician and radiation oncologist review of prospective FET-PET imaging to accurately assess its impact on biological target volume delineation for RT planning in patients with gioblastoma.

Dr Andrew Oar from Gold Coast University Hospital, Chair of the AGITG/TROG 18.04 – MASTERPLAN trial, presented on results of radiation quality assurance (RTQA) in the study which assessed adding stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) to chemotherapy and surgery for pancreatic cancer.

TROG Scientific Committee Medical Physics discipline representative and TROG QA Physicist Prof Joerg Lehmann, from Calvary Mater Hospital Newcastle (pictured left),  presented on several collaborative projects supported by TROG which aim to improve quality assurance in clinical trials including:

• An invited presentation on the Global Harmonisation Group collaborative project to evaluate end-to-end dosimetry audit systems for intensity-modulated radiation therapy across six international dosimetry audit providers. The evaluation suggested harmonisation of dosimetry audits at an international level is achievable, supporting the concept of cross-recognition between auditing bodies involved in international, multi-centre trials, he reported.
• In another oral presentation, Prof Lehmann outlined findings from the SEAFARER project which enables clinical radiation therapy departments to assess the performance of their Patient Specific Quality Assurance (PSQA) processes. Assessment of 19 different PSQA devices’ sensitivity and specificity to simulated delivery errors suggested commonly used devices were capable of obtaining a high level of sensitivity and specificity – but these factors may be affected by other compounding factors, he reported.

Other ESTRO26 presentations drawing on data from TROG trials included:

• Prof Karen Olden from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre presented an evaluation of how accurately an AI-based quality assurance tool could identify contour deviations compared to human review, using the AGITG AG0407GR/TROG 08.08 – TOPGEAR
• Dr Julianne O’Shea from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre reported on secondary analysis of the TROG 12.01 – HPV Oropharynx trial, looking at sensorineural hearing outcomes in HPV-Positive oropharyngeal cancer.
• Guneet Kaur reported on establishing a framework for functional lung-sparing radiotherapy planning in the Usyd/TROG 21.08 VITaL lung cancer trial.