The group was formed initially as a sub-committee of the Australian and New Zealand Children's Cancer Study Group (ANZCCSG) and then as a Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists. The principle aims of the Group are

• to maintain a network of radiation oncologists who manage paediatric patients in Australia and New Zealand to ensure the best quality of care by radiation therapy for children;
  
• to provide input for protocol design and quality assurance of RT delivered to children in various ANZCCSG studies;
  
• to establish a centralised database for collection of parameters concerned with the delivery of RT to children in Australia and New Zealand and
• to provide education in paediatric radiation therapy.

Meetings

The Group meets periodically throughout the year via teleconference with a face to face meeting at least twice a year.

The Group also hosts a Teaching Course every two years. This has multidisciplinary input from the teaching faculty and is aimed specifically at the training needs of radiation oncology registrars.

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Activities

Activities of the Group include:

• Curriculum development for the FRO.
• Information dissemination
  Booklets aimed at assisting children with the understanding of radiation treatment have been prepared by Maree Sexton and been distributed in centres throughout Australia and New Zealand.
• Radiation Oncology Database
  The radiation oncologists have collaborated to compile a data base which commenced in January, 1997. The information is centrally collated at Westmead. As at July 2006, 1500 patients were registered. The database is ongoing and Registration forms can be downloaded here.
• Presentations and Publications
• At the RANZCR Annual General Meeting in October 1999 Michael Back presented results of Medulloblastoma Verity Ahern presented the Paediatric Radiation Oncology data base.
• Michael Back is preparing a publication on a collaborative Medulloblastoma study for the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology and Physics and will also present this data a the ASTRO Meeting in 2000
• Studies

The following articles by members of the Group have been published:

• Importance of radiation time and dose factors on outcome for childhood medulloblastoma. M Back et al. Austral Radiol (2005) 49, 298-303.
• A modified technique for craniospinal irradiation in children designed to reduce acute and late radiation toxicity. C Phillips et al. Austral Radiol (2004) 48, 188-194.
• Paediatric radiotherapy in Australia and New Zealand: An anachronism in 2003? V Ahern and M Berry. Austral Raiol (2003) 47, 343.

The following articles have been submitted for publication:

• Paediatric medulloblastoma: patterns of care and radiotherapy quality assurance in Australia. V Ahern et al. Austral Radiol
• Paediatric total body irradiation: Australian patterns of care study. S Babington et al. Austral Radiol.

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Membership

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How to become involved

Membership is open to all radiation oncologists within Australia and New Zealand who supervise the radiation treatment of children.

For further information relating to the Paediatric Special Interest Group please contact the Faculty of Radiation Oncology, email faculty@ranzcr.edu.au.

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