ESTRO 2024 - Abstract Book

S2730

Interdisciplinary - Global health

ESTRO 2024

Between July 2022 and September 2023, a team of 3 rotating Radiation Oncologists, a First Nations/Inuit/Metis Nurse Navigator and a clinical specialist radiation therapist travelled to Nunavut approximately every 8 weeks to provide follow-up care, assist in new patient assessments and provide home care visits.

Results:

There were seven individual clinic weeks (6 in Iqaluit and one combined with a visit to a remote community) during which Radiation Oncologists completed 115 follow-up visits, six new patient consultations, and three home visits. 68% of patients were from Iqaluit and did not require medical travel to attend visits. 32% required travel support as they were from a more remote Northern community, although this travel support was less than travel to a southern cancer centre. 88% of the patients had received curative treatment and undergoing subsequent follow up, and 12% had recurrence or metastatic cancer. This initiative spared patients approximately 454 travel days and theoretically saved approximately CAD $600,000 in medical travel costs.

Conclusion:

With this initiative, there has been a significant impact on the proportion of care provided close to home for Nunavummiut. Communication with patients and their families has significantly improved. This initiative is novel because Radiation Oncologists established a general oncology clinic in a very remote region where radiation services are unavailable. Future iterations of the clinic will also incorporate a visiting Medical Oncologist to further expand this clinic. Knowledge gained, and communication pathways created through this pilot will be key in implementing further cancer care strategies close to home for Northern and Inuit populations.

Keywords: outreach, circumpolar, remote

References:

1. Galloway T, Horlick S, Cherba M, Cole M, Woodgate RL, Healey Akearok G. Perspectives of Nunavut patients and families on their cancer and end of life care experiences. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2020;79(1):1766319.

2. Jull J, Sheppard AJ, Hizaka A, Inuit Medical Interpreter T, Barton G, Doering P, et al. Experiences of Inuit in Canada who travel from remote settings for cancer care and impacts on decision making. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21(1):328.

3. Asmis TR, Febbraro M, Alvarez GG, Spaans JN, Ruta M, Lalany A, et al. A retrospective review of cancer treatments and outcomes among Inuit referred from Nunavut, Canada. Curr Oncol. 2015;22(4):246-51.

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Grazia Lazzari 1 , Angela Pia Solazzo 1 , Ilaria Benevento 1 , Antonietta Montagna 1 , Barbara D'Andrea 1 , Antonella Bianculli 2 , Raffaele Tucciariello 3 , Giovanni Castaldo 1 , Luciana Rago 1 , Vito Metallo 1