ESTRO 2024 - Abstract Book

S2611

Clinical - Urology

ESTRO 2024

up until two days prior to the planning scan, however not all patients could be contacted. Contactable and non contactable patients were both assessed and the reasons for rescan were recorded. Pearson’s Chi -squared tests and Fisher’s exact tests were used to investigate associations between additional telephone education and those without.

Results:

All patients receiving radiotherapy for prostate cancer were contacted regardless of staging or grading, including post prostatectomy and high dose palliative patients. Treatment regimens ranged from 2Gy per day, to 7.25Gy per day for patients receiving stereotactic ablative radiotherapy. Median age was 70 years (range 35-88 years). Of 661 patients telephoned, only 367 (56%) were contactable. Of this, only 16% required rescanning, as opposed to 24% for those who could not be contacted p=0.013, as shown in Figure 1. Insufficient bladder volume was noted in 50% of requests for rescans, and large rectal volume in 37%. 13% had both insufficient bladder and large rectal volume. These patients were given further education on hydrating or using enemas as per departmental protocol, and rebooked as per clinical oncologist availability for planning. Treatment start dates were delayed as appropriate.

Conclusion:

Results from this service development have demonstrated contacting patients prior to radiotherapy planning appointments can reduce rescan rates. This has departmental implications regarding both cost and time for repeat CT slots and postponing treatment courses. This also ensures patients do not receive additional planning CT dose unnecessarily, or require rescans midway through treatment due to changes in OAR position. To improve compliance and increase the rate of contactable patients, a formal appointment could be sent to patients to ensure their availability to receive these calls.

Keywords: radiotherapy, patient compliance, education

References: