ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S4186

RTT - Patient experience and quality of life

ESTRO 2025

Material/Methods: Between May-August 2024, consecutive English-speaking patients receiving whole breast RT were approached for RadTats, a non-invasive NPM, applied on the skin as setup marks for treatments. Patients completed surveys after CT simulation (S1) and 2-weeks post-RT (S2). Surveys assessed demographics, skin phenotype (Fitzpatrick scale), stress, pain, anxiety, experience and satisfaction with NPMs (scale 0, none-10, high), and allowed for free-text responses. CT sim and treatment unit radiation therapists (CT-RTT;Tx-RTT) were surveyed. CT-RTTs recorded the time to apply NPMs and Tx-RTTs assessed visibility and durability of NPMs longitudinally over RT, including the number of reapplications required due to fading. Radiation therapist surveys also assessed satisfaction with NPMs on a Likert scale and allowed free text comments. Descriptive statistics summarized survey responses and thematic analysis was performed on free text responses. Results: Of the 39 patients approached, 30 (77%) completed S1 and 28 (72%) completed S2. Median age was 62 years (range 39-83), most (62%) self-identified as Fitzpatrick Type III. Patients were mostly treated with 26Gy/5fx (97%) and 42% received a boost (10Gy/4fx). During NPM application, stress, anxiety and pain were reported by 33%, 27%, and 10% of respondents, respectively; however, median overall satisfaction with NPMs was 10 (IQR 8-10). Most (89%) preferred NPMs over permanent tattoos, and thematic analysis revealed that patients felt NPMs don’t leave a memory of cancer treatment. NPMs were felt to require extra attention and care to avoid fading in 29% of respondents. Most (91%) CT-RTTs reported NPM application was longer than tattooing, whereas 71% of Tx-RTTs reported comparable RT set-up times. Most Tx-RTTs (86%) were satisfied with using NPM for setup. Thematic analysis found that a challenge with NPMs is that reapplications may be required, adding additional time. The median number of NPM reapplications per patient during RT was 3 (range 0-12), and the most common locations for reapplication were inferior (28%) and medial (27%). Conclusion: Breast cancer patients report high satisfaction with and a preference for NPMs; however, radiation therapists reported additional time and effort applying NPMs. Future work is being done to explore alternative NPMs, optimize patient/radiation therapist education on NPMs and establish RT workflows to improve patient-centered RT for those preferring NPMs. Digital Poster Characteristics of patients with head and neck cancer, who experienced weight loss during radiotherapy. Lene Michelsen 1 , Mette Hovgaard Kristensen 1 , Rikke Hedegaard Jensen 2,3 , Dorthe Brønnum 4 , Helle Enggaard 5 1 Department of Radiotherapy and Department of Oncology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. 2 Center for Clinical Data Science, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark. 3 Research, Education and Innovation, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. 4 Centre for Clinical Research, North Denmark Regional Hospital, Hjørring, Denmark. 5 Clinical Nursing Research Unit & Clinical Cancer Research Center, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark Purpose/Objective: Head and neck cancer is often caused by smoking, alcohol consumption, and human papillomavirus (HPV). Radiotherapy, a common treatment, can lead to side effects, such as nausea, taste changes, pain, mucositis, and xerostomia, which increase the risk of weight loss. Weight loss during treatment can negatively affect the completion of radiotherapy and worsen the prognosis. At Aalborg University Hospital, all patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy receive a multidisciplinary nutritional intervention. In addition, a preventive feeding tube is offered to patients with larger Keywords: Breast cancer, setup marks 3284