ESTRO 2023 annual congress

Interview with Anna Kirby, ESTRO President and Chair of ESTRO 2023

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The theme of the congress this year is “from innovation to action”. Why this theme?

As healthcare professionals working in radiation oncology, we are hard-wired to innovate in clinical practice, technology and process. The nearly 2000 abstracts that have been submitted to this year’s congress are testament to the volumes of high-quality data that are being generated by our community. However, it can take many years to deliver evidence-based innovations to the frontline of clinical care. This congress is focused on how we can bridge this so-called “second translational gap” in order to ensure that innovations reach the people that need them in the shortest possible timeframe. As a clinician and trialist working in pragmatic patient-centred research, this was a theme that particularly appealed to me and it has been a pleasure to see the 2023 programme take shape under this thematic umbrella.

In this context, which sessions will particularly embody the theme?

The ESTRO 2023 presidential symposium is all about “bridging the second translational gap”. It will discuss how we generate the evidence that is required to enable us to implement innovations routinely, how we overcome barriers to implementation, how we reduce inequalities of access to radiation therapies at population level, and how inequalities in outcomes of radiation oncology delivery can be evaluated and reduced. The joint event between ESTRO and the American Society for Radiation Oncology will look at aspects of personalised radiotherapy that can be implemented now, and the symposium by ESTRO with the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology will discuss how to obtain the highest quality evidence for emerging technologies. The ever-popular closing debate, which will wrap up the whole congress, we hope will bring a novel perspective to whether FLASH really is going to “save the Earth” within the next decade or so.

What are you most looking forward to at the congress?

Imbibing novel data and new ideas to upgrade my day-to-day clinical and research practices, facilitating scientific exchange, taking a closer look at emerging technologies and, of course, catching up with colleagues from across the ESTRO community.

Why would you say the ESTRO annual congress is a must attend for any radiation oncology professional?

The ESTRO congress provides the most efficient and enjoyable annual opportunity for colleagues who work in radiation oncology across Europe and beyond to come together, to share and discuss the latest research, to upskill in areas with which they are less familiar, to network with colleagues from multiple disciplines, geographies and career stages, and to connect with friends old and new. The most effective innovation occurs at interfaces and the ESTRO annual congress is full of such interfaces!

Anna Kirby
President and C hair of ESTRO 2023