title: The med AUSTRON/OGRO patterns of care study on radiotherapy indications in Austria.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Radiobiology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria. ulrike.mock@akhwien.at
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mock
authors.forename: Ramona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vutuc
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eiter
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hawliczek
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hirn
authors.forename: Tomas-Henrik
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Knocke-Abulesz
authors.forename: Hans-Dieter
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kogelnik
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lukas
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nechville
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pakisch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papauschek
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ing Raunik
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rhomberg
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sabitzer
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schratter-Sehn
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sedlmayer
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wedrich
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Auberger
mesh_terms: 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*