| Quality assurance of radiotherapy in cancer treatment: toward improvement of patient safety and quality of care. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 18952706 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The process of radiotherapy (RT) is complex and involves understanding of the principles of medical physics, radiobiology, radiation safety, dosimetry, radiation treatment planning, simulation and interaction of radiation with other treatment modalities. Each step in the integrated process of RT needs quality control and quality assurance (QA) to prevent errors and to give high confidence that patients will receive the prescribed treatment correctly. Recent advances in RT, including intensity-modulated and image-guided RT, focus on the need for a systematic RTQA program that balances patient safety and quality with available resources. It is necessary to develop more formal error mitigation and process analysis methods, such as failure mode and effect analysis, to focus available QA resources optimally on process components. External audit programs are also effective. The International Atomic Energy Agency has operated both an on-site and off-site postal dosimetry audit to improve practice and to assure the dose from RT equipment. Several countries have adopted a similar approach for national clinical auditing. In addition, clinical trial QA has a significant role in enhancing the quality of care. The Advanced Technology Consortium has pioneered the development of an infrastructure and QA method for advanced technology clinical trials, including credentialing and individual case review. These activities have an impact not only on the treatment received by patients enrolled in clinical trials, but also on the quality of treatment administered to all patients treated in each institution, and have been adopted globally; by the USA, Europe and Japan also. |
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Authors:
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Satoshi Ishikura |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Review |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Japanese journal of clinical oncology Volume: 38 ISSN: 1465-3621 ISO Abbreviation: Jpn. J. Clin. Oncol. Publication Date: 2008 Nov |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2008-10-27 Completed Date: 2008-11-25 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0313225 Medline TA: Jpn J Clin Oncol Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 723-9 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Outreach Radiation Oncology and Physics, Clinical Trials and Practice Support Division, Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan. sishikur@ncc.go.jp |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Humans Neoplasms / radiotherapy* Quality Assurance, Health Care* Quality Control Radiation Injuries / prevention & control Radiation Oncology / standards* Safety* |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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