European Particle Therapy Network (EPTN)

The European Particle Therapy Network (EPTN) became a task force of ESTRO in 2017. It was established in 2015 in response to the anticipated increase in the number of particle therapy centres in Europe. In addition, the need to cooperate among centres and integrate particles (i.e. protons and carbons) in the framework of clinical research networks was identified as being of paramount importance. ESTRO, at the time of initiation of the network, was asked to collaborate with EPTN and agreed to facilitate the group.

Particle therapy (PT) is only one part of radiation oncology, and needs to be well aligned with other radiation techniques as well as with general developments in cancer research and patient care. PT offers both new opportunities for providing excellence in cancer care, and for high-quality research within the framework of European  networks.

The 9th European Particle Therapy Network (EPTN) annual meeting will take place on 27 October 2023 in Manchester, UK

Meetings of EPTN Work Packages and dedicated Workshops on topics of interest will take place on 26 October 2023 in Manchester, UK.

Please monitor this page for updates, registration information and the workshop agenda, which will be coming soon.

We invite you to save the date and hope that you can join us in Manchester.

For queries regarding this meeting, please contact eptn@estro.org

EPTN organisers:

Cai Grau (Aarhus, DK), Damien Weber (Villigen, CH), Dietmar Georg (Vienna, AT)

The EPTN has three organisers and is composed of 7 working parties (WP) with experts for different topics to further elaborate the particle European discussions. It meets once a year.

EPTN organisers:

  • Cai Grau (Aarhus, DK) 

  • Damien Weber (Villigen, CH) 

  • Dietmar Georg (Vienna, AT)

WP

Title

Coordinators

1

Clinical

Hans Langendijk (Groningen, NL)-Leader

Roberto Orecchia (Milano, IT)

Karin Haustermans (Leuven, BE)

Daniel Zips (Berlin, DE)

Jacques Balosso (Grenoble, FR)

Esther Troost (Dresden, DE)

2

Dose assessment, quality assurance, dummy runs, technology inventory

Oliver Jäkel (Heidelberg, DE)

Sairos Safai (Villigen, CH)

Stefano Lorentini  (Trento, IT)

3

Education 

Morten Høyer (Aarhus, DK)

Marco Schwarz (Seattle, USA)

Rita Simoes (London, UK)

4

Image Guidance in particle therapy

Aswin Hoffmann (Dresden, DE)

Alessandra Bolsi (Villigen, CH)

5

TPS in particle therapy

WP5 Collective PTPS specifications

Christian Richter (Dresden, DE)

Tony Lomax (Villigen, CH)

6

Radiobiology, RBE

Manjit Dosanjh (Geneva, CH)

Bleddyn Jones (Oxford, UK)

Armin Lühr (Dortmund, Germany)

Jörg Pawelke (Dresden, DE)

Martin Pruschy (Zurich, CH)

Brita S. Sørensen (Aarhus, DK)

7

Health Economy

Yolande Lievens (Ghent, BE)

 

  • Eekers DBP et al. Update of the EPTN atlas for CT- and MR-based contouring in Neuro-Oncology. Radiother Oncol 2021; 160: 259-265, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2021.05.013
  • Sørensen BS, et al. Does the uncertainty in relative biological effectiveness affect patient treatment in proton therapy? Radiother Oncol 2021;163:177–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2021.08.016
  • Heuchel L, et al. Is a variable proton RBE considered in clinical practice? - ESTRO survey among 25 proton centres. Radiother Oncol 161(Suppl.1) (2021) S313-314, DOI: 10.1016/S0167-8140(21)06904-8
  • De Roeck L, et al. The European particle therapy network (EPTN) consensus on the follow-up of adult patients with brain and skull base tumours treated with photon or proton irradiation. Radiother Oncol. 2022 Jan 27:S0167-8140(22)00021-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2022.01.018

  • Heuchel L, et al. Clinical use and future requirements of relative biological effectiveness: Survey among all European proton therapy centres. Radiother Oncol 2022; 172, P134-139, July 01, 2022
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2022.05.015