NCI Workshop Advanced Technologies in Radiation Oncology

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NCI Workshop- Advanced Technologies in Radiation
Oncology

• Chair Prabhakar Tripuraneni
• Organizer Bhadrasain Vikram
• Bethesda, MD
• December 1-2, 2006
• Opening comments Norm Coleman

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Challenges facing radiation oncologyHow can NCI
help?

• Increase costs of health care NCI does not deal
  with reimbursement but we can help encourage,
  support critique studies that determine new
  standards of care.
• Radiation oncologys explosion of new technology
  NCI can help provide through Coop agreements
  (RTOG, ATC, QARC, etc.) quality assurance for
  complex clinical trials.

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Challenges facing radiation oncologyHow can
NCI/NIH help?

• Era of personalized medicine It is based on
  biology. Radiation biology and radiation research
  critical to understanding optimal treatment for
  the tumor. Physics is biology nano-IMRT.
• Normal tissue injury- late effects occur late and
  are important considerations Medical
  countermeasures program through NIAID and HHS
  focuses on post-exposure interventions.

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Challenges facing radiation oncologyHow can
NCI/NIH help?

• Time and throughput pressure on young academic
  faculty RRP tries to provide encouragement with
  Young Investigators Workshops and information
  and advice on grants process.
• Inexorable change in healthcare system NCI
  sponsor and co-sponsor workshops with Societies
  (ASTRO, RRS) and Agencies to raise issues and
  develop clinical trials for evidence-based
  medicine

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Personal observationsThese statement do not
reflect the opinion of the US Government, NCI,
NIH, HHS or any living creature associated with
these agencies.

• Radiation oncology and its leaders need to
• Be self-critical and self-correcting as the world
  looks towards them,
• Support time and efforts of young people and
  those doing high quality research,
• Be wary of mutual self-destruction (as seen in
  some un- or marginally-substantiated claims of
  technology superiority),

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Personal observationsThese statement do not
reflect the opinion of the US Government, NCI,
NIH, HHS or any living creature associated with
these agencies.

• Push the basic science- it is the basis for how
  technology works and can enhance technological
  advances,
• Help lead in a good-for-society agenda (e.g. CDRP
  program and others),
• Provide role models for mentoring and doing the
  right thing,
• Keep the best interests of patients ahead of
  institution (and self) interests.

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Special thanks to

• Prabhakar
• Vik
• Keynotes and session leaders
• RRP members

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Altai Mountains, Mongolia
The power of the Eagle.. we are watching and will
try to help.