The med AUSTRON/OGRO patterns of care study on radiotherapy indications in Austria.
OBJECTIVE
In Austria a national survey was conducted by Med AUSTRON/Osterreichische Gesellschaft for Radio--Onkologie, Radiobiologie und Medizinische Radiophysik (OGRO) in order to estimate the indications, patient numbers and radiotherapy treatment planning procedures and performances at all Austrian radiotherapy institutes. Results were correlated with incidence rates (Austrian cancer registry) to determine patterns of radiotherapy practice in Austria.


METHODS
At 12 radiotherapy departments of Austria data of all patients receiving irradiation within a 3 months (2002/2003) period were assessed. On the basis of a questionnaire number of treated patients, indications, and parameters of disease (stage, histology) and treatment modalities were evaluated. Results were analysed with regard to different tumour groups, according to academic and non academic hospitals, and correlated with epidemiological data on cancer incidence.


RESULTS
In total, 3783 patients were registered within this period. According to the different tumour entities percentages of patients receiving radiotherapy within initial treatment varied from 3% to 90 % (e.g. brain tumours: 77%, breast cancer: 90%, prostate cancer: 35%). The most frequent indications to radiotherapy per radiotherapy department were breast cancer (range 22%-35%; mean 26%), urological tumours (range 6%-27%; mean 12%) and bone metastases (mean 10%, range 3%-17%).


CONCLUSIONS
In Austria breast cancer, urological tumours and bone metastases are representing the most common indications to radiotherapy. Among the different departments variations in indications to radiotherapy were observed. Our study is the first evaluation of radiotherapeutic management in Austria.
Mock
Ulrike
U
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiobiology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. ulrike.mock@akhwien.at
Mayer
Ramona
R
Potter
Richard
R
Jäger
Robert
R
Vutuc
Christian
C
Eiter
Helmut
H
Hammer
Josef
J
Hawliczek
Robert
R
Hirn
Brigitte
B
Knocke-Abulesz
Tomas-Henrik
TH
Kogelnik
Hans-Dieter
HD
Lukas
Peter
P
Nechville
Elisabeth
E
Pakisch
Brigitte
B
Papauschek
Michael
M
Ing Raunik
Wolfgang
W
Rhomberg
Walter
W
Sabitzer
Hubert
H
Schratter-Sehn
Annemarie
A
Sedlmayer
Felix
F
Wedrich
Irene
I
Auberger
Thomas
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*