ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S2305

Interdisciplinary – Health economics & health services research

ESTRO 2025

2581

Digital Poster Enhancing Patient Awareness of Medical Physics Through Collaboration with Breast Cancer Associations Sergio Lozares 1,2 , Tomás González 1 , Reyes Ibáñez 3 1 Medical Physics, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain. 2 Radiology and Radiation Protection, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. 3 Radiation Oncology, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain Purpose/Objective: The critical role of medical physicists in radiotherapy is often underrecognized by patients. This study aimed to bridge this knowledge gap by collaborating with a breast cancer patient association in Spain. Our objective was to develop and implement an initiative to enhance patient awareness of medical physicists' contributions, with the goal of promoting similar efforts across Europe. Material/Methods: We conducted surveys with 50 members of a Spanish breast cancer patient association to assess their understanding of medical physics and identify areas of interest or concern. Based on the survey findings, we developed targeted questions for an in-depth interview with the association's president. The interview focused on elucidating the role of medical physicists in patient care and addressing common misconceptions. The session was professionally recorded and published on YouTube to maximize accessibility and outreach. Engagement metrics— including views, likes, comments, and shares—were monitored to evaluate the video's impact. Ethical approval was obtained, and all participants provided informed consent. Results: The survey revealed that a significant majority of participants had limited or no knowledge of the role of medical physicists in their treatment. The YouTube video featuring the interview received substantial engagement, accumulating more than four thousands of views and numerous positive comments within the first three weeks of release. Qualitative feedback indicated that viewers found the content informative and gained a better understanding of how medical physicists contribute to treatment safety and efficacy. The high engagement levels and positive responses demonstrated a successful increase in patient awareness. Conclusion: Collaborating with breast cancer patient associations proved effective in enhancing patients' understanding of medical physics. Utilizing digital platforms allowed us to reach a wider audience and foster meaningful discussions about the vital role of medical physicists in cancer care. This initiative offers a scalable model that can be replicated in other European countries to promote patient education and strengthen the relationship between patients and medical physicists. Such initiatives support the advancement of patient-centered care and highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in oncology.

Keywords: Medical physics, breast cancer, patient survey

2684

Digital Poster Enabling Gantry-less radiotherapy through upright patient positioning: key insights from the ESTRO Physics Workshop 2024 Ye Zhang 1 , Tracy Underwood 2,3 , Rasmus Bokrantz 4 , Carri Glide-Hurst 5 , Erik Engwall 4 , Lars Glimelius 4 , Taku Inaniwa 6 , Oliver Jäkel 7,8 , Simon Jolly 9 , Sebastian Klüter 10 , Antony J Lomax 1,11 , Maria Chiara Martire 12,13 , Alexander Pryanichnikov 14,15 , Vincenzo Patera 16 , Ilaria Rinaldi 17 , Gordon Sands 2 , Petra Trnkova 18 , Esther G.C. Troost 19 , Cristina Garibaldi 20 , Lennart Volz 12