GEC-ESTRO Best Junior Presentation Award

Awardee Interview: Anne Valkenburg - Maastro, Maastricht, the Netherlands

What is your next challenge?

We are currently in the process of initiating the second phase of this triptych, the dose reporting part. Additionally, I am involved in an ongoing feasibility study, in which we aim to confirm clinical feasibility of a newly developed rectal HDR contact applicator: the Maastro Applicator. The dose profile of the Maastro applicator is similar to the dose profile of the Papillon device (CXRT) and can, therefore, be used for the same group of patients. In addition to my research, I am a radiation oncologist in training.

What do you think are the next challenges in your field?

To date only a limited number of patients receives rectal brachytherapy, despite the fact that brachytherapy enables more selective dose delivery to the tumour and better sparing to the surrounding normal tissues. It can be an appropriate or even preferable treatment alternative for EBRT in specific cases. The limited use of this technique is probably largely attributable to the lack of treatment guidelines. With the introduction of delineation and dose reporting guidelines, rectal HDR treatment data are standardized. This allows for better comparison of clinical results between patient cohorts and also allow for normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) or tumour control probability (TCP) modelling. Adequate NTCP and TCP models are essential to gain insight between delivered dose, local control and toxicity and to optimize treatment protocols. Besides, in contact therapy I think we are moving towards individualized dose prescription too: endorectal ultrasound can be used to gain dose-volume parameters and enable calculation of TCP/NTCP.

What does the award mean to you?

 I feel honoured

What has been your involvement within ESTRO?

Since the start of this project, I have been involved with the GI GEC-ESTRO working group.

To whom would you like to dedicate your award?

I would like to dedicate my award to my PhD supervisors, Evert van Limbergen and Maaike Berbée. Without their support this would not have been possible.