S2853
RTT - RTT education, training, and advanced practice
ESTRO 2026
clinical advantages of deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) during radiotherapy of breast cancer. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2013;32:88.Offersen BV, Boersma LJ, Kirkove C, et al. ESTRO consensus guideline on target volume delineation for elective radiation therapy of early stage breast cancer. Radiother Oncol 2015;114:3- 10. Estimating the risks of breast cancer radiotherapy: evidence from modern radiation doses to the lungs and heart from previous randomised trials C Taylor and others Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2017. Vol 35, issue 15. pages 1641-1649 Digital Poster 1539 Radiation therapy under strain: a mixed-methods study of workforce challenges Annie O' Shea 1 , Annemarie Devine 1 , Andrew England 1 , Mark McEntee 1 , Aisling Barry 1,2 , Theresa O' Donovan 1 1 Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. 2 CancerResearch@UCC, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland Purpose/Objective: Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment, with over half of oncology patients requiring it during their care pathway (1). In Ireland, a growing shortage of radiation therapists (RTTs) is placing considerable strain on service delivery, staff well-being, and patient-centred care. This study aimed to evaluate current workforce conditions in Irish radiation therapy departments and explore the perceived impact of staffing shortages. Material/Methods: A prospective, ethically approved, cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted. A questionnaire was developed in line with Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES) and the European Society of Radiation therapy and Oncology (ESTRO) survey-based radiation oncology research guidelines (2,3). The survey was distributed via Qualtrics and piloted prior to dissemination. Recruitment was carried out through convenience sampling using professional social media platforms (LinkedIn) and direct email invitations to radiation therapy departments. Eligible participants were RTTs currently employed in Ireland. Data collection occurred over five weeks between January and February 2025. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Results: A total of 42 RTTs participated in the study. Of these, 59.5% (n=25) reported low staffing levels, and nearly half indicated that at least one treatment unit had been closed due to shortages. Regular overtime was
Digital Poster Highlight 1417 DIBH versus free breathing: assessing liver and right lung dose volume post-right breast irradiation Nagwan Ibrahim Anter 1 , Medhat Mohamed Ei Sebaie 1 , Sabreen Abdo Mohammed 1 , Zeinab Hassan El Taher 2 1 radiotherapy, National cancer institute, cairo, Egypt. 2 Radiotherapy, National cancer institute, Cairo, Egypt
Purpose/Objective: Respiratory motion during right-sided breast
irradiation can increase incidental dose to the liver and right lung, potentially elevating the risk of late toxicity. Deep Inspiration Breath-Hold (DIBH) has been established as a technique to reduce heart and lung doses in left-sided breast cancer, but its dosimetric impact on the liver in right-sided treatments remains less characterized. This study quantitatively compares DIBH and Free Breathing (FB) plans with particular emphasis on hepatic and pulmonary dose-volume parameters. Material/Methods:
A total of 100 computed tomography–based radiotherapy plans (50 DIBH, 50 FB) were
retrospectively analyzed. Dose–volume histogram (DVH) metrics were extracted for the target, liver, lungs, and heart. Statistical analysis included the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, the Mann–Whitney U test for group comparisons, and Spearman’s rank correlation to explore associations between mean liver dose and hepatic volume parameters. Results: Compared with FB, DIBH yielded a significant reduction in mean liver dose (median 252 cGy vs 354 cGy; p < 0.001) and in liver volumes receiving 10–30 Gy (p < 0.001 for all). Modest but significant improvements in target coverage were noted under DIBH (V95 = 88% vs 85%; p = 0.008). DIBH further reduced mean heart dose (98.6 vs 105.2 cGy; p = 0.003) and right-lung V16 (22.5% vs 27.7%; p = 0.007). Mean liver dose showed a strong correlation with liver V10–V30 Gy ( ρ = 0.73–0.82; p < 0.001) and a moderate correlation with irradiated liver volume ( ρ = 0.41; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The DIBH technique provides superior hepatic, pulmonary, and cardiac sparing compared with FB, without compromising target coverage. Mean liver dose demonstrates a robust correlation with partial- volume metrics and may serve as a practical surrogate endpoint in plan evaluation and quality assurance for right-sided breast radiotherapy. Keywords: DIBH, radiotherapy, 3DCRT References: Bruzzaniti V, Abate A, Pinnaro P, et al. Dosimetric and
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