My name is Daniela-Lidia Sandu and I am a radiation oncologist. My clinical career has always been guided by two critical patient-centred questions: “Is it safe?” and “Will it work for me [the patient]?”.

I trained and worked in three Romanian centres - Cluj-Napoca, Brașov and now Timișoara ‑ where there is high clinical demand but modest clinical resources. These experiences taught me that technology alone does not guarantee quality care. Innovation happens when clear processes, curious teams and a “safety-first” mindset converge.

During my residency, I volunteered for an early contouring project that was based on artificial intelligence (AI). Observing the work of the algorithm in real time was both thrilling and slightly unsettling, and it reinforced my conviction that innovation must always be accompanied by rigorous quality assurance. Without this balance, we risk merely substituting human errors with digital versions.

Currently, I divide my time between clinical practice at the Oncohelp Cancer Centre, where I am pursuing a PhD focused on personalised radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancers, and teaching duties, which include the coordination of workshops for medical students and courses for residents and young oncologists. Additionally, our centre is part of the INTERACT-EUROPE 100 project (an initiative to implement the curriculum of the inter-specialty cancer training programme across Europe) and I am proud to contribute as a trainer while simultaneously I learn to support inter-specialty cancer education and collaboration.

I am honoured to be part of the radiation oncology safety & quality committee (ROSQC) for many reasons but the most important is that I have seen first-hand how unequal access, inconsistent protocols and rushed technological rollouts can widen the gap between what is possible and what is safe. As a ROSQC member, my goal is to transform insights from resource-limited settings into practical guidelines that are applicable universally, demystify adaptive and AI-driven workflows and ensure that the patient's perspective remains central to all quality assurance discussions.

Daniela-Lidia Sandu
Radiation oncology MD at Oncohelp Cancer Centre
Timișoara, Romania