L-r: SCoR's president-elect Sandie Mathers with Donna Routsis.

The number of British cancer patients being referred for proton therapy is set to dramatically increase – and therapeutic radiographers will need to be at the heart of the process.
 
That was the key message from research radiographer Donna Routsis, who presented the second Martine Jackson Memorial Award at the SCoR’s Annual Radiotherapy Weekend on Saturday 30 January.
 
Donna discussed the work of the Proton Therapy Working Party and the Proton Therapy Clinical Reference Panel (PCRP). Donna sits on both of these groups alongside a number of clinical oncologists and radiation physicists.
 
Since the PCRP was established in 2008, 74 British patients have been referred to proton therapy centres abroad that provide high quality standards of treatment and care. The patient selection criteria are currently being updated to encompass a wider range of diseases.
 
Donna explained to the audience the benefits of proton therapy and how radiographers can play their part in developing it in the UK. The therapy's main advantage is that it can deliver radiation doses more precisely and gives very little exit dose past the tumour. This improves the targeting of the cancer whilst sparing more healthy tissues. It is particularly suitable for children and young adults, as well as patients with radio-resistant tumours close to critical structures such as the brain and spine.
 
“We need to push ahead with patient referrals and establish proton therapy in the UK,” explained Donna. “There is strong evidence that proton therapy is a more effective treatment for certain types of cancers. The technology needs further development, however, to make it less cumbersome to use and less physically frightening to patients. This is an area where radiographers have the knowledge and understanding of patients’ needs to contribute to its improvement. Increasing radiographer knowledge of the therapy is therefore essential to good proton therapy in the future.”
 
In August 2009, health minister Ann Keen gave the go-ahead for new proton therapy facilities to be built in England, evidence for demand equating to the need for approximately two facilities. Until these facilities are up and running, patients will continue to travel to centres in either France, Switzerland or the USA.
 
“The group is evaluating additional centres [abroad] in order to increase capacity”, explained Donna. “With the approval granted last year for a centre in the UK, we now need to increase our knowledge of proton therapy here and bring back information and skills from mainland Europe and the US, in order to support our patients.”
 
According to Donna there is no long-term data on proton therapy and there are few studies showing the therapy's overall benefit. Without this evidence, the Department of Health will find it difficult to justify further investment and, more importantly, the care and support of proton therapy patients will be slow to develop. Therapeutic radiographers must now play their part and get involved, concluded Donna.

Posted: 08/02/2010