ESTRO 2020 Abstract book

S9 ESTRO 2020

mathematical description of biological or clinical problems, combined with ability to simplify complex relations to the extent possible. This makes them uniquely positioned to develop models that describe either population trends or individual behavior of cancer and associated therapies. Medical physicists should focus on developing manageable few-parameters models that robustly capture principal components of the picture, combine heterogeneous (dosimetric, clinical, biological, genomic, quantitative imaging…) information into interpretable and generalizable predictive models. Machine learning models (e.g., AI-based), derived from data (top-down) can be useful, but sufficient level of understanding and extensive validation are needed to give sufficient comfort to use them. 2) Medical physicists have made significant contribution in radiation biology. However, in the modern radiotherapy, many of the treatments are combined with chemotherapies, targeted therapies, or immunotherapies. Therefore, it is important to acquire sufficient knowledge and to connect with appropriate expertise (medical oncologists, imaging experts, pathologists, biologists, immunologists….) to be able to contribute in modeling new challenging issues related to the new paradigms of RT in curing and/or preventing metastatic spread, including the interaction with immune system, tumor evolution and metastases, tumor response, lymphocytes irradiation, toxic effects of combined/personalized treatments. 3) Medical physicists should be directly involved in design, execution and interpretation of clinical trials and pre-clinical experiments. Clinical trials/pre-clinical experiments should target testable hypotheses originating from the models themselves to either prove or disprove them or provide grounds for additional insights that would enable refinements of available models. Medical physicists should also act as facilitators of data gathering/data farming, contributing to building and managing advanced data sharing platforms, also within new approaches such as umbrella protocols and basket trials. 4) In order to maximize medical physics contribution, the education of medical physicists needs to substantially corroborate biology and radiobiology skills to a larger extent than currently captured in medical physics curricula. In addition, medical physicists should acquire sufficient level of data analytics expertise (e.g., biostatistics, big data, artificial intelligence) that can constructively contribute to clinical trial design, execution and analyses. In conclusion, medical physics is expected to relevantly contribute to the new challenges of personalized RO in the current, rapidly changing times. The long successful tradition in modeling normal tissue and tumor response must translate in proactive and reactive actions in facing new issues that require fast adaptation toward multi- and trans-disciplinarity nature of radiation oncology. This process is likely to push more and more medical physicists out of their traditional domains, encountering biology- oriented disciplines and clinical and technical experts outside the strict radiotherapy domain. At the same time, the strong roots of medical physicists in the clinical environment remain an amazing and unique value in supporting the translation from/to biology/pre-clinical to/from clinical applications. In order to respond in the best way to these exciting challenges, medical physicists are required to orient their efforts in adapting/increasing skills and to actively promote new roles and responsibilities.

Symposium: RTT leadership in radiation oncology

SP-0035 Leading a clinical programme as an RTT C. Dickie 1 1 Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Radiation Medicine Program, Toronto, Canada Abstract text Colleen Dickie MSc, MRT(T), Director of Operations for the Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Assistant Professor, University of Toronto, Canada Experienced front-line clinicians have shown distinct success in administrative hospital positions. In this lecture, I’ll describe my unexpected path to leadership and some of the qualities cultivated in radiation therapy that have been invaluable in an administrative role. Fundamental leadership skills built on clinical expertise with newly acquired skills critical to success will be described. Finally, key responsibilities required to lead the operation of a large radiation treatment centre will be discussed, including the management of a program, team motivation, a focus on quality improvement and safety, short- and long-term planning, stewardship of resources and alignment to the larger institution. These accountabilities will be reflected upon from a radiation therapists’ perspective. SP-0036 Leading RTT teaching, research and advocacy programmes in the academic setting M. Leech 1 1 Tcd Discipline Of Radiation Therapy, Radiation Therapy, Dublin, Ireland Abstract text This presentation will discuss the leadership skills and personal attributes required to lead and motivate both faculty and the student body in internationally-renowned academic radiation therapy programmes. Taking an established undergraduate programme in radiation therapy and moving it forward to the next level is challenging and requires innovation and determination as well as vision. This presentation will discuss how radiation therapy education programmes must be up to date and in line with current and future predictions for the profession. Finally, the presentation will outline the importance and necessity that all radiation oncology professionals, including those who work outside of the clinic, be fully involved in advocacy and engagement and in supporting patients and other health care providers in their understanding of radiation therapy. SP-0037 RTT leadership in research - how to break through the glass ceiling Y.M. Tsang 1 1 Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Radiotherapy, Northwood Middlesex, United Kingdom Abstract text Evidence-based medicine has increasingly been employed in modern radiation oncology. Evidence-based practice is an approach where the best available clinical evidence from good quality research is utilised to inform the decision-making process for patient care. Within healthcare practices, research plays a core component in our profession as radiation therapists (RTTs) underpinning all aspects of patient care in radiotherapy patient pathways. In the last decade, there have been rapid changes and progressive developments in the technology used for the planning and delivery of radiotherapy. With the ever- increasing complexity of the radiotherapy patient pathway, the notion of advanced practice may be considered increasingly inherent in the role of RTTs. We