Session

Overview: There are several reports of declining use of brachytherapy worldwide despite its well-documented advantages. Brachytherapy is often perceived to be resource-intensive and expensive and its role in the era of increasingly sophisticated external beam radiotherapy techniques has been questioned. This session discusses some of the issues that influence availability and utilisation of brachytherapy. Topics include current status of cervix cancer brachytherapy availability worldwide and global initiatives to improve access, socio-economic factors impacting brachytherapy treatment trends in the United States, a literature review of time activity based costing studies of brachytherapy, and brachytherapy training and interest amongst European radiation oncology residents.