Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611010
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Translational research in medicine aims to inform the clinic and the laboratory with the results of each other's work, and to bring promising and validated new therapies into clinical application. While laudable in inten...Translational research in medicine aims to inform the clinic and the laboratory with the results of each other's work, and to bring promising and validated new therapies into clinical application. While laudable in intent, this is complicated in practice and the current state of translational research in cancer shows both striking success stories and examples of the numerous potential obstacles as well as opportunities for delays and errors in translation. This paper reviews the premises, promises, and problems of translational research with a focus on radiation oncology and suggests opportunities for improvements in future research design.
Kamnerdsupaphon P, Srisukho S, Sumitsawan Y
… +2 more, Lorvidhaya V, Sukthomya V
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611009
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A retrospective study was undertaken to assess cancers in northern Thailand using the Chiang Mai Cancer registry and Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital records from January 2001 to December 2005. Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Ma...A retrospective study was undertaken to assess cancers in northern Thailand using the Chiang Mai Cancer registry and Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital records from January 2001 to December 2005. Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital is the university hospital for the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. There were 4,108 new cancer cases being treated at the institution. The distribution of patients were (a) 32% from Chiang Mai, (b) 42% from nearby provinces of Lampoon, Phayao, and Chiang Rai, (c) 20.4% from other northern provinces, and (d) 1.2% from other parts of Thailand. Based on the data, the most common cancers by relative frequency are cancers of the lung, cervix, liver, breast, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The current treatment options used to manage these most common cancers are described in this article.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611007
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In order to assess its progress, and to obtain a snapshot of the current situation, the Indonesian Radiation Oncology Society has routinely conducted annual surveys since 2004 to assess the current condition of resources...In order to assess its progress, and to obtain a snapshot of the current situation, the Indonesian Radiation Oncology Society has routinely conducted annual surveys since 2004 to assess the current condition of resources for equipment and staffing in all radiation oncology centres in the country. Based on these routine surveys, the society has made recommendations to the government about providing cancer patients with better and more affordable access to radiotherapy services.Questionnaires in hard and soft copy forms were distributed annually to Indonesian Radiation Oncology Society members, and all 22 centres (19 in 2004) responded by sending back the completed questionnaires. The obtained data was compared with results of the first survey in 2004.In 2008, there were 22 radiotherapy centres in Indonesia, 18 Linear Accelerators and 17 cobalt units. There were 270 radiation oncology professionals, including 41 radiation oncologists, 38 medical physicists, 6 dosimetrists, 125 radiation therapy technologists, and 60 nurses. In addition, there were 17 residents and trainees participating in the Radiation Oncology training program.A lot of progress had been made in the four-year period from 2004 to 2008. Indonesia has seen the establishment of 4 new centres, which indicates a 50% increase in the number of available treatment units, and a 29% increase in the number of human resources. These achievements were possible because more attention has been placed on cancer care issues in Indonesia, a great success due to the advocacy efforts of the Society. However, numerous issues still need urgent attention from all the stakeholders.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611006
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New cases of invasive cancer in the United States occur among nearly 1.5 million people annually. In 2007, more than 1,500 people died per day with this diagnosis. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every four death...New cases of invasive cancer in the United States occur among nearly 1.5 million people annually. In 2007, more than 1,500 people died per day with this diagnosis. Cancer is responsible for nearly one in every four deaths reported in the country. Enormous amounts of money and research have been, and are being spent, in an attempt to improve these numbers. While prevention and early detection remain the key to long-term success, treatment in the neo-adjuvant, adjuvant and metastatic settings still centre around two main treatment modalities - radiation therapy and chemotherapy. This article will review the advances that have been made in both areas that are making these treatments more precise and convenient, as well as less toxic, for the patient. In the field of radiation therapy this involves the development of new therapy planning and delivery systems, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and positron emission and computed tomography, PET-CT. Chemotherapy has also evolved with the development of targeted chemotherapy for the treatment of specific malignancies as well as improved supportive care agents which allow for the administration of dose-dense chemotherapy when appropriate.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611005
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This article is to provide a general overview of cancer in China including the statistics, most common cancers, their epidemiological characteristics and the treatments.This article is to provide a general overview of cancer in China including the statistics, most common cancers, their epidemiological characteristics and the treatments.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611004
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Singapore is a small country, but it is ideally and centrally located to conveniently serve not only its population but also patients from the surrounding regions. It's economy is sufficiently strong to maintain highly s...Singapore is a small country, but it is ideally and centrally located to conveniently serve not only its population but also patients from the surrounding regions. It's economy is sufficiently strong to maintain highly sophisticated and expensive equipment to manage a high level of healthcare, including oncology services.Cancer incidences in Singapore are on an upward trend based on the report of the Singapore Cancer Registry for the period of 2001-2005. Cancer is the number one cause of death in Singapore. The three most common cancers for males in Singapore, in decreasing occurrences, are colorectal, lung, and prostate. For females, the three most common cancers are breast, colorectal, lung cancers. Technological advances and advances in anti-cancer drugs have transformed cancer management leading to improved outcomes worldwide and in Singapore as well. The epidemiology and management of these common cancers in Singapore are presented. While Singapore presently has five radiotherapy centres (3 public, 2 private) to service its population of 4.5 million and regional needs, the government has plans to expand its radiotherapy services to accommodate the aging population and the rising expectations of increasingly affluent cancer patients seeking advanced cancer care. The current and future initiatives spearheaded by Singapore to achieve excellence in this aspect are discussed.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611003
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Whether transitioning from paper to electronic records or attempting to leverage data from existing systems for outcome studies, oncology practices face many challenges in defining and executing an informatics strategy....Whether transitioning from paper to electronic records or attempting to leverage data from existing systems for outcome studies, oncology practices face many challenges in defining and executing an informatics strategy. With the increasing costs of oncology treatments and expected changes in reimbursement rules, including requirements for evidence that supports physician decisions, it will become essential to collect data on treatment decisions and treatment efficacy to run a successful program. This study evaluates the current state of informatics systems available for use in oncology programs and focuses on developing an informatics strategy to meet the challenges introduced by expected changes in reimbursement rules and in medical and information technologies.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611002
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Oncology nursing continues to evolve in response to advances in cancer treatment, information and biotechnology. As new scientific and technological discoveries are integrated into cancer care, oncology nurses need to pl...Oncology nursing continues to evolve in response to advances in cancer treatment, information and biotechnology. As new scientific and technological discoveries are integrated into cancer care, oncology nurses need to play a key role in the management of this patient population. The role of the oncology nurse has expanded significantly and can differ greatly across cultures. Sophisticated treatments and the growth of targeted therapies will create the challenge of ensuring that all nurses working in this arena are well-educated, independent thinkers. Thus the future success of oncology nurses will focus on enhancement of nursing practice through advanced education. The increased globalisation of healthcare offers exciting opportunities to accomplish this goal by allowing for collaborative relationships among oncology nurses across the globe.
Kron T, Cheung K, Dai J
… +13 more, Ravindran P, Soejoko D, Inamura K, Song J, Bold L, Srivastava R, Rodriguez L, Wong T, Kumara A, Lee C, Krisanachinda A, Nguyen X, Ng Kh
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611001
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Medical physics plays an essential role in modern medicine. This is particularly evident in cancer care where medical physicists are involved in radiotherapy treatment planning and quality assurance as well as in imaging...Medical physics plays an essential role in modern medicine. This is particularly evident in cancer care where medical physicists are involved in radiotherapy treatment planning and quality assurance as well as in imaging and radiation protection. Due to the large variety of tasks and interests, medical physics is often subdivided into specialties such as radiology, nuclear medicine and radiation oncology medical physics. However, even within their specialty, the role of radiation oncology medical physicists (ROMPs) is diverse and varies between different societies. Therefore, a questionnaire was sent to leading medical physicists in most countries/areas in the Asia/Pacific region to determine the education, role and status of medical physicists.Answers were received from 17 countries/areas representing nearly 2800 radiation oncology medical physicists. There was general agreement that medical physicists should have both academic (typically at MSc level) and clinical (typically at least 2 years) training. ROMPs spent most of their time working in radiotherapy treatment planning (average 17 hours per week); however radiation protection and engineering tasks were also common. Typically, only physicists in large centres are involved in research and teaching. Most respondents thought that the workload of physicists was high, with more than 500 patients per year per physicist, less than one ROMP per two oncologists being the norm, and on average, one megavoltage treatment unit per medical physicist.There was also a clear indication of increased complexity of technology in the region with many countries/areas reporting to have installed helical tomotherapy, IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), IGRT (Image Guided Radiation Therapy), Gamma-knife and Cyber-knife units. This and the continued workload from brachytherapy will require growing expertise and numbers in the medical physics workforce. Addressing these needs will be an important challenge for the future.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jul · PMID 21611000
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Cancer has a significant impact on the Australian community. One in three men and one in four women will develop cancer by the age of 75. The estimated annual health expenditure due to cancer in 2000-1 in Australia was $...Cancer has a significant impact on the Australian community. One in three men and one in four women will develop cancer by the age of 75. The estimated annual health expenditure due to cancer in 2000-1 in Australia was $2.7 billion, representing 5.5% of the country's total healthcare expenditure. An historical overview of the national cancer control strategies in Australia is provided. In males, the five most common cancers in order of decreasing incidence are: prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, melanoma and lymphoma, while for Australian women, breast cancer is the most common cancer. Key epidemiologic information about these common cancers, current management issues and comprehensive national clinical practice guidelines (where available) are highlighted. Aspects of skin cancer, a particularly common cancer in the Australian environment - with a focus on melanoma - are also included.Cancer outcomes in Australia, measured by selected outcomes, are among the best in the world. However, there is still evidence of health inequalities, especially among patients residing in regional and remote areas, the indigenous population and people from lower socio-economic classes. Limitations of current cancer care practices in Australia, including provision of oncology services, resources and other access issues, as well as suggested improvements for future cancer care, are summarised. Ongoing implementation of national and state cancer control plans and evaluation of their effectiveness will be needed to pursue the goal of optimal cancer care in Australia.
Vijayananthan A, Arumugam A, Kumar G
… +1 more, Harichandra D
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Apr · PMID 21614326
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Atypical mycobacterium is rarely seen as a cause of chronic mastoiditis but has been increasingly recognized over the past few years. Mycobacterium abscessus is the most pathogenic and chemotherapy-resistant, rapid-growi...Atypical mycobacterium is rarely seen as a cause of chronic mastoiditis but has been increasingly recognized over the past few years. Mycobacterium abscessus is the most pathogenic and chemotherapy-resistant, rapid-growing mycobacterium of all the four groups. This paper presents a case of a 57-year-old woman who had chronic mastoiditis with recurrent exacerbations. The initial computed tomography (CT) findings showed the presence of an inflammatory process and she was treated with the appropriate antibiotics. The patient subsequently underwent a tissue biopsy when she presented with another exacerbation. At this time, the CT scan did not identify the ongoing exacerbation, but the Gallium-67 scintigraphy did.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Apr · PMID 21614324
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Informal discussion started in 1996 and the South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (SEAFOMP) was officially accepted as a regional chapter of the IOMP at the Chicago World Congress in 2000 with...Informal discussion started in 1996 and the South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (SEAFOMP) was officially accepted as a regional chapter of the IOMP at the Chicago World Congress in 2000 with five member countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Professor Kwan-Hoong Ng served as the founding president until 2006. Brunei (2002) and Vietnam (2005) joined subsequently. We are very grateful to the founding members of SEAFOMP: Anchali Krisanachinda, Kwan-Hoong Ng, Agnette Peralta, Ratana Pirabul, Djarwani S Soejoko and Toh-Jui Wong.The objectives of SEAFOMP are to promote (i) co-operation and communication between medical physics organizations in the region; (ii) medical physics and related activities in the region; (iii) the advancement in status and standard of practice of the medical physics profession; (iv) to organize and/or sponsor international and regional conferences, meetings or courses; (v) to collaborate or affiliate with other scientific organizations.SEAFOMP has been organizing a series of congresses to promote scientific exchange and mutual support. The South East Asian Congress of Medical Physics (SEACOMP) series was held respectively in Kuala Lumpur (2001), Bangkok (2003), Kuala Lumpur (2004) and Jakarta (2006). The respective congress themes indicated the emphasis and status of development. The number of participants (countries in parentheses) was encouraging: 110 (17), 150 (16), 220 (23) and 126 (7).In honour of the late Professor John Cameron, an eponymous lecture was established. The inaugural John Cameron Lecture was delivered by Professor Willi Kalender in 2004. His lecture was titled "Recent Developments in Volume CT Scanning".
Too S, Ahmad Sarji S, Yik Y
… +1 more, Ramanujam T
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Apr · PMID 21614323
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A baby boy who had a left facial mass detected on antenatal ultrasound was delivered by Caesarian section after foetal distress was detected. Imaging investigations by plain radiographs and MRI showed a large mass with c...A baby boy who had a left facial mass detected on antenatal ultrasound was delivered by Caesarian section after foetal distress was detected. Imaging investigations by plain radiographs and MRI showed a large mass with calcifications, soft tissue, fat and fluid components. A total surgical excision was perfomed and histology examination showed teratoma with no malignant features. Two weeks postoperatively, there was rapid recurrence of the tumour with intracranial involvement and obstructive hydrocephalus shown on MRI. The tumour was inoperable at surgery and the baby subsequently died at 5 weeks of life. This case describes the clinical course and imaging features of a neonatal epignathus teratoma with malignant and aggressive features.
Nyathi T, Mwale A, Segone P
… +2 more, Mhlanga Sh, Pule M
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Apr · PMID 21614322
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PURPOSE: To measure the luminance level of X-ray viewing boxes and ambient lighting levels in reporting rooms as a quality assurance procedure, and to compare the results with those recommended by the Directorate of Radi...PURPOSE: To measure the luminance level of X-ray viewing boxes and ambient lighting levels in reporting rooms as a quality assurance procedure, and to compare the results with those recommended by the Directorate of Radiation Control, South Africa (DRC), European Commission (EC) and Nordic Radiation Protection Co-operation (NORDIC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the viewing boxes housed at the Divisions of Radiation Oncology and Radiology of Johannesburg Hospital had their luminance levels measured using a calibrated photometer. In addition the room's ambient light was measured using a photometer. RESULTS: The mean average luminance was 1026.75 ± 548.65 cd m(-2) and 3284.38 ± 327.91 cd m(-2) at the Division of Radiology and Division of Radiation Oncology respectively. The Division of Radiation Oncology had an average viewing box uniformity of 7.14% compared to 27.32% at the Division of Radiology. The average ambient lighting was found to be 66.30 lux and 66.43 lux at the Division of Radiation Oncology and Division of Radiology respectively. CONCLUSION: The radiograph viewing conditions in Johannesburg variably comply with guidelines. This study underscores the need to implement quality control and quality assurance standards in radiographic image viewing.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jan · PMID 21614320
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Currently there is overwhelming support from the health professions for universities to devise curricular approaches that lead to the development of undergraduate reflective skills, and over time, reflective practice. Ho...Currently there is overwhelming support from the health professions for universities to devise curricular approaches that lead to the development of undergraduate reflective skills, and over time, reflective practice. However, in the case of radiography, irrespective of the degree to which radiographers might engage in reflective practice they constantly struggle to shed the perception they are little more than technical operatives. The four-year Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging was introduced by Monash University in 1998 with an overt commitment to the development of a reflective radiographer. Findings from student and supervisor surveys generally support the program and its aims. However, as the findings and student feedback will attest, many challenges and constraints continue to face educators who seek to situate their curriculum within the reflective practice paradigm.
Biomed Imaging Interv J
· 2008 Jan · PMID 21614319
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PURPOSE: Traditionally, radiographers and radiation therapists function in a workplace environment that is protocol-driven with limited functional autonomy. The workplace promotes a culture of conformity and discourages...PURPOSE: Traditionally, radiographers and radiation therapists function in a workplace environment that is protocol-driven with limited functional autonomy. The workplace promotes a culture of conformity and discourages practitioners from reflective and critical thinking, essential attributes for continuing learning and advancing workplace practices. As part of the first author's doctoral study, a continuing professional development (CPD) educational framework was used to design and implement an online module for radiation therapists' CPD activities. The study aimed to determine if it is possible to enhance healthcare practitioners' reflective practice via online learning and to establish the impact of reflective learning on clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The objectives of the online module were to increase radiation therapists' knowledge in planning for radiation therapy for the breast by assisting them engage in reflective practice. The cyclical process of action research was used to pilot the module twice with two groups of volunteer radiation therapists (twenty-six participants) from Australia, New Zealand and Canada. RESULTS: The online module was evaluated using Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model. Evidence indicated that participants were empowered as a result of participation in the module. They began reflecting in the workplace while assuming a more proactive role and increased clinical responsibilities, engaged colleagues in collaborative reflections and adopted evidence-based approaches in advancing clinical practices. CONCLUSION: The study shows that it is possible to assist practitioners engage in reflective practice using an online CPD educational framework. Participants were able to apply the reflective learning they had developed in their workplace. As a result of their learning, they felt empowered to continue to effect changes in their workplace beyond the cessation of the online module.