The Department of Radiotherapy & Oncology at PGIMER, Chandigarh is organizing the 1st AROI-ESTRO Teaching Course from 5th to 8th, March, 2011. ESTRO (European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology) and Association of Radiation Oncologists of India (AROI) have identified the need to co-operate and conduct education and training of professionals in radiotherapy and oncology.
Dr. S.C. Sharma, the local organizer and Head, Dept. of Radiotherapy informed that more than 100 delegates which includes young radiation oncologists and medical physicists are participating in this teaching course. The topic to be discussed during this course is, “Modern Treatment of Cervical Cancer with special focus on 3-D Image Based Brachytherapy”. This form of treatment allows delivery of precisely planned high dose radiation to the cancer at cervix with sparing of surrounding normal tissues. This provides better control of cancer with reduced radiation morbidity. This is a new technique developed by Dr. Richard Potter et al and was introduced at TMH, Mumbai and PGIMER, Chandigarh during the last year. Both the Institutions have also been selected to participate in a International Study on this technique named as – EMBRACE.
During this course, there will be hand on practice on delineation of tumour and the radiation treatment planning. There will be theory lectures on various aspects of recent advances in the management of cancer cervix with special emphasis on 3-D Imaged Based Brachytherapy. The course will be conducted for 4 days, at the end of which, examination of the candidate will also be conducted and the successful candidates will be awarded certificates.
The ESTRO Courses have been very successful and are conducted in different countries of Europe, but the cost involved is too high. Therefore AROI has aligned with ESTRO to conduct these courses in India so that large number of radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation technologists can be benefited and can upgrade their knowledge about the subject and also get educated about the latest radiotherapy techniques and technology. The faculty for this course is combined both from Europe and India. Dr. Christine Haie-Meder from France and Dr. Richard Potter from Austria are the Course Directors, who are well known radiation oncologists. Other faculty includes Dr. Daniel Berger from Austria, Dr. Ina Jurgenliemk-Schulz from Netherlands, Dr. Taran Paulsen Hellebust from Norwey, Dr. Sebastien Touraine from France and Dr. Kari Tanderup from Denmark. The Indian faculty includes Dr. S.K. Srivastava and Dr. Umesh Mahantshetty from T.M.H., Mumbai and Dr. F.D. Patel from PGI, Chandigarh.