Programme

Overview: Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing radiation therapy, but how can we ensure a safe, effective, and clinically validated implementation? In this must-attend session Barbara Jereczek introduces the ESTRO-AAPM AI guideline, a roadmap for developing, validating, and reporting AI models in clinical practice. Wouter van Elmpt will showcase applications in different domains. Discussed will be automation tasks such as AI-driven segmentation that are being introduced clinically. In addition, AI applications in the field clinical decision support systems and outcome prediction will be discussed, while debating whether clinics are ready to embrace these innovations. Interactive panel discussions will tackle key challenges, regulatory hurdles, and future perspectives. If you’re looking to integrate AI into your practice with confidence, this session is essential.

Overview: Quality improvement in radiation oncology is driven by balancing tumor control, side effects and quality of life. In this symposium four lectures will address the fundamentals of implementation science and discuss how randomized trials can be used as a tool to improve radiotherapy and implement quality assurance programs. To improve quality in radiotherapy, lessons can be learned from Lean thinking as introduced first in the car industry. The final presentation will address the new financial reality for health care spending globally and build the case for investing in radiotherapy.

Overview: Radiation oncology practice continues to evolve with the rapid integration of technological and therapeutic changes in order to provide optimal care and outcomes to our patients. Effective interdisciplinary coordination and communication is central to coordinate these efforts and will be the primary focus of this interactive session. Specifically, presentations related to patient centric care, as well as collaborations within and outside radiation oncology will highlight both challenges and opportunities that exist to "transform radiotherapy by rethinking interdisciplinary collaboration".

Overview: This session will explore strategies to optimise treatment for early breast cancer, pushing the boundaries of current practices. It will highlight how advanced radiotherapy techniques are reducing cardiac risk, improving patient care, and minimising side effects. The use of biomarkers will be discussed, focusing on their potential to personalise treatment and enhance patient outcomes. The session will also review the role of tumour-bed boost, exploring how to identify patients who will benefit most and when it can be safely omitted. Finally, this session will explore the emerging role of artificial intelligence in treatment planning and delivery for early breast cancer.

Overview: In particle therapy, accurately determining where particles stop in the patient is crucial to ensure safer and more precise treatments. Over the past decade, various technological solutions have been proposed, but no industrial system for large-scale in vivo treatment verification is currently available. Prof. Katia Parodi will present an overview of these solutions, while Prof. Christian Richter will discuss existing clinical data, emphasizing the real-world impact and importance of integrating verification into clinical workflows. Prof. Thomas Bortfeld will highlight how verification could enable innovative treatment techniques. Dr. Julien Smeets will conclude by addressing the technical and industrial challenges of integrating these systems into complex and evolving particle therapy platforms, including considerations for proton arc therapy and FLASH.

Overview: Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) has become more prevalent as planning and treatment systems advance, allowing for more efficient delivery of care across a wide variety of tumour sites. In order to further improve the quality and efficiency of ART, this symposium aims to provide insight from leading RTT and Physics experts working across different adaptive systems. Topics covered will range from process improvement initiatives, training and credentialing frameworks, the integration of AI and how proton therapy is using adaptive workflows. This symposium will be of great interest to current and future users of adaptive systems.

Overview: A panel discussion with five experts will explore the future of brachytherapy, based on survey results from participants of the GEC-ESTRO workshop. Panelists include experienced brachytherapists, representatives from ESTRO, young ESTRO members, and a patient advocate. They will discuss key findings from the survey, addressing challenges, innovations, and strategies for advancing brachytherapy. Topics include technological developments, education for future specialists, patient perspectives, and improving accessibility. This discussion aims to bridge clinical practice with emerging trends, fostering collaboration among professionals and patients. By integrating diverse viewpoints and data-driven insights, the panel seeks to define a sustainable and progressive path for brachytherapy.