[Overall treatment time assessment of radiotherapy delivered in a curative intent: A prospective study].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the overall treatment time of radiotherapy delivered with curative intent in a cohort of 185 consecutive patients and the causes of this possible delay. If delay, to propose corrective actions.


METHODS
We report a single-center prospective study including all consecutive patients receiving a radiation therapy with curative intent, from 1st December 2013 to 28th February 2014, on the three linear accelerators of the radiotherapy department. For each fraction missed, the causes of non-completion were prospectively collected. This analysis took into account the following parameters: age, sex, occupation, transport type and duration, tumour localization, radiation dose, concomitant chemotherapy, hospitalization, type of linear accelerator.


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-five patients were included in the study (183 evaluable, two did not complete treatment). The overall treatment time was respected for 31 patients (17%). It was lengthened on 4.6 days (d) (0-29 d; median: 3d). The mean number of delayed fractions was 3.4 (0-17; median: 2). The reasons of delay were: breakdown 32.2%; maintenance 29.3%; holiday 11%; treatment toxicity 9.4%; inadequate planning 8.6%; other disease 3.9%; treatment refusal 2.1%; unspecified personal reasons 1.5%; refusal to wait 0.8%; transportation 0.3%; error of communication 0.3%; other 0.6%. Two parameters had a significant impact on the overall treatment time: the type of linear accelerator in relation to breakdown occurrence (P<0.001) and transportation duration (more or less than 40 min, P=0.022). One hundred and thirty-eight patients (75%) and 79 patients (43%) were treated on one or more than two Saturdays. Treatment on Saturday significantly reduced the overall treatment time (median, 1.9 d; P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The overall treatment time was globally respected excluding break down and maintenance. Their impact on the overall treatment time is minimized by the systematic opening of the department on Saturdays.
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France. Electronic address: claire.petit@hotmail.fr.
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Petit
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Suissa
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Finet
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Comte
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Soltys
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Daveau
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Ali
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
B
B
Dessard-Diana
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Giraud
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Housset
Service d'oncologie-radiothérapie, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, 12, rue de l'École-de-Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.
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Durdux
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
Radiotherapy; Radiothérapie; Résultat thérapeutique; Time factors; Treatment effectiveness; Étalement