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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.
| Chair: |
Verity Ahern |
| Members: |
Anthony Falkov, Chris Atkinson, David
Hamilton, Fiona Cameron, Greg Wheeler, John Childs,
Margaret Wallington, Martin Berry, Martin Borg, Mary Dwyer, Michael
Poulsen, Robert Smee, Robyn Cheuk, Roger Allison, Scott Babington,
Susan Caroll, Mandy Taylor. |
Faculty Members may obtain contact details for these SIG members from
the Member Directory.
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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 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.
Membership is open to all radiation oncologists within Australia and
New Zealand who supervise the radiation treatment of children.
A minimum requirement for continuing membership is attendance at a face
to face meeting every two years and participation in an annual conference
telephone call.
Interested? Contact us, mentioning Paediatric
Radiation Oncology SIG
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