ESTRO / EAU COURSE on BRACHYTHERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER
London, United Kingdom, June 26 - 28, 2010

Course Director

Peter Hoskin, Radiation Oncologist, Mount Vernon Hospital, London (GB)

Course Local Co-Director

Peter Bownes, Medical Physics, St James Hospital, Leeds (GB) 

Teachers

Bashar Al Qaisieh, Clinical Physicist, Cookridge Hospital, Leeds (GB)
Jean-Marc Cosset, Radiation Oncologist, Institut Curie, Paris (FR)
Stefan Machtens, Urologist, Marien-Krankenhaus, Bergisch Gladbach, (DE)
Frank-André Siebert, Physicist, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel (DE)
Marco Van Vulpen, Radiation Oncologist, Universitair Medisch Centrum, Utrecht (NL)

Course aim 

•  To provide an overview of the epidemiology and treatment options for localised prostate cancer
• To explain patient selection/indications and contra indications
• To provide an overview of the techniques, epuipment and staffing for prostate brachytherapy
• To give an overview of the results, side effects/complications and their management, management of PSA failure

Target Group

The course is aimed at all those who may be involved in the team required to set up prostate Brachytherapy i.e.: urologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists who are sometimes responsible for the ultrasound, physicists, and nurse specialists

Educational programme 

This two-and-half day joint GEC-ESTRO/ EAU course covers an overview on epidemiology and treatment options for localized prostate cancer and gives an adequate introduction to brachytherapy. Patient selection for both HDR and Seed implants will be discussed with treatment indications and contra-indications. To start this service equipment and staffing for brachytherapy could be important; therefore this is also included in the program. Special steps of working, like volume study, types of treatment planning, different implant techniques, as well as post implant planning are presented with possibilities of interactive discussions between participants and the teaching staff. Interactive application videos promote understanding theoretical learning. Comparisons of differences in the indication of permanent (seed) vs. temporary (HDR) brachytherapy implants, as well as management of PSA failure are discussed.