title: Hadrontherapy from the Italian Radiation Oncologist point of view: face the reality. The Italian Society of Oncological Radiotherapy (AIRO) survey.
abstract: Hadrontherapy has been in constant progress in the past decades. Due to the increasing interest in this field and the spreading of the technique in Italy and worldwide, the Italian Society of Radiation Oncology surveyed (by an online survey) its members regarding their perception of hadrontherapy. The survey outline addressed different items all related to hadrontherapy, such as: demographics (3 items), personal knowledge (5 items), actual use in clinical practice (5 items), and future perspectives and development (5 items). The survey was filled in by 224 radiation oncologists (RO). Among them, 74.6 % were RO with more than 5 years of clinical practice, and only 10.4 % RO in training. Median age was 46 years (range 27-77). 32.24 % admitted average knowledge about heavy particles radiobiology rationale and 32.42 % about the ongoing particle therapy clinical trials. Radioresistant tumors are perceived as-principal indications for carbon ions in 39.3 % of responders, and pediatric malignancies for protons in 37 %. Re-irradiation is highly recommended for 52.2 %. Strikingly, 38.8 % of participating ROs reported that, in the daily clinical practice, approximately less than 1 out of 10 patients asks to be referred for hadrontherapy. On the other side, 35.7 % claimed need for at least 3 up to 5 particle therapy centers in Italy. Overall, the results of the present survey highlight the interest of the Italian RO community for particle therapy among the other radiotherapy technique. Analysis of our results might picture the clinical attitude of the RO community towards hadrontherapy in Italy, and help in promoting targeted initiatives to spread clinical results and knowledge about technical innovations in this field.
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, IEO-European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy. giulia.marvaso@ieo.it.
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Marvaso
authors: Clinical Division, CNAO National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Vischioni
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, IEO-European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.|Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors: Barbara Alicja
authors: BA
authors: Jereczek-Fossa
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, IEO-European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.
authors: Delia
authors: D
authors: Ciardo
authors: Medical Physics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors: Piero
authors: P
authors: Fossati
authors: Medical Physics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors: Tommaso
authors: T
authors: Giandini
authors: Radiotherapy Department, S. Croce & Carle Teaching Hospital, Cuneo, Italy.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Morlino
authors: Division of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Carrara
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, IEO-European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Romanelli
authors: Radiotherapy Department, S. Croce & Carle Teaching Hospital, Cuneo, Italy.
authors: Elvio
authors: E
authors: Russi
authors: Clinical Division, CNAO National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Valvo
authors: Division of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.|Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Valdagni
authors: Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.|Scientific Direction, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Orecchia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002244:Carbon / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D063193:Heavy Ion Radiotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D061766:Proton Therapy; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon
keywords: Carbon ion; Hadrontherapy; Proton therapy; Radiation oncologist; Survey