title: Patterns of radiotherapy practice for pancreatic cancer: Results of the Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology Study Group multi-institutional survey.
abstract: No information is currently available regarding pancreatic cancer (PC) pattern of care in Italy. In the present study, a nationwide survey using a questionnaire was performed to enquire the local standards for PC diagnosis and radiotherapy treatment. Fifty-seven percent of 140 Italian centres completed questionnaire. The main causes of no radiotherapy indication were poor general condition (45%) and lack of guidelines (25%). Physicians (38%) employed neoadjuvant therapy in locally advanced PC patients, while in other centres (62%) adjuvant chemoradiation was administered. Adjuvant gemcitabine-based chemotherapy was selected as the treatment of choice by 59% of centres. Patients were treated mostly with doses of 50-54.9 Gy on the tumour (or bed) plus lymph nodes. A 3D-CRT technique was used in 81.2% of centres, while IMRT and IGRT were available in 61.2 and 48.7% of cases, respectively. Extensive variation exists with regard to patterns of care for PC in Italy. Nevertheless, cooperative studies emerging from this survey appeared beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, Research and Care Foundation 'Giovanni Paolo II', Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macchia
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sainato
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Oncological Referral Center, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Talamini
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Oncological Referral Center, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boz
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, AOU IRCCS San Martino, IST National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Almalina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacigalupo
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, 'A. Businco' Regional Oncological Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caravatta
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology-IRCCS, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Friso
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, IRCCS CROB, Rionero in Vulture, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, 'S. Maria della Misericordia' Hospital, Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lupattelli
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, State Hospital, Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mantello
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, 'A. Gemelli' Hospital, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Mattiucci
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, 'San Raffaele' Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Najla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Slim
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, ASL TO4, General Hospital, Ivrea, Italy.
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sciacero
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, 'Maggiore della Carità' Hospital, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Turri
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, 'A. Gemelli' Hospital, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, Research and Care Foundation 'Giovanni Paolo II', Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio Giuseppe
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, 'SS Annunziata' Hospital, 'G. D'Annunzio' University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Genovesi
mesh_terms: D059186:Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018787:Radiation Oncology