title: Patterns of radiotherapy practice for biliary tract cancer in Japan: results of the Japanese radiation oncology study group (JROSG) survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The patterns of radiotherapy (RT) practice for biliary tract cancer (BTC) in Japan are not clearly established.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire-based national survey of RT used for BTC treatment between 2000 and 2011 was conducted by the Japanese Radiation Oncology Study Group. Detailed information was collected for 555 patients from 31 radiation oncology institutions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the patients was 69 years old (range, 33-90) and 81% had a good performance status (0-1). Regarding RT treatment, 78% of the patients were treated with external beam RT (EBRT) alone, 17% received intraluminal brachytherapy, and 5% were treated with intraoperative RT. There was no significant difference in the choice of treatment modality among the BTC subsites. Many patients with EBRT were treated with a total dose of 50 or 50.4 Gy (~40%) and only 13% received a total dose ≥60 Gy, even though most institutions (90%) were using CT-based treatment planning. The treatment field consisted of the primary tumor (bed) only in 75% of the patients. Chemotherapy was used for 260 patients (47%) and was most often administered during RT (64%, 167/260), followed by after RT (63%, 163/260). Gemcitabine was the most frequently used drug for chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study established the general patterns of RT practice for BTC in Japan. Further surveys and comparisons with results from other countries are needed for development and optimization of RT for patients with BTC in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 (D-10) Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan. kogawa@radonc.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Isohashi
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Hirobumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oikawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Nobue
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maebayashi
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanesaka
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamamoto
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asakura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosugi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uno
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karasawa
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manabe
authors.forename: Hideya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takemoto
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: Yasumasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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