Japanese Structure Survey of Radiation Oncology in 2005 Based on Institutional Stratification of Patterns of Care Study
- Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, Tokyo Dental and Medical University, Tokyo (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, National Hospital Organization Hokkaido Cancer Center, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Japan)
- Division of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center, Tokyo (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba (Japan)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Hyogo (Japan)
- Department of Radiological Technology, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo (Japan)
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Image-Applied Therapy, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto (Japan)
- Department of Radiology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo (Japan)
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka (Japan)
- Tohoku University Hospital Cancer Center, Sendai (Japan)
Purpose: To evaluate the structure of radiation oncology in Japan in terms of equipment, personnel, patient load, and geographic distribution to identify and improve any deficiencies. Methods and Materials: A questionnaire-based national structure survey was conducted between March 2006 and February 2007 by the Japanese Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. These data were analyzed in terms of the institutional stratification of the Patterns of Care Study. Results: The total numbers of new cancer patients and total cancer patients (new and repeat) treated with radiotherapy in 2005 were estimated at approximately 162,000 and 198,000, respectively. In actual use were 765 linear accelerators, 11 telecobalt machines, 48 GammaKnife machines, 64 {sup 60}Co remote-controlled after-loading systems, and 119 {sup 192}Ir remote-controlled after-loading systems. The linear accelerator systems used dual-energy function in 498 systems (65%), three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in 462 (60%), and intensity-modulated radiotherapy in 170 (22%). There were 426 Japanese Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology-certified radiation oncologists, 774 full-time equivalent radiation oncologists, 117 medical physicists, and 1,635 radiation therapists. Geographically, a significant variation was found in the use of radiotherapy, from 0.9 to 2.1 patients/1,000 population. The annual patient load/FTE radiation oncologist was 247, exceeding the Blue Book guidelines level. Patterns of Care Study stratification can clearly discriminate the maturity of structures according to their academic nature and caseload. Conclusions: The Japanese structure has clearly improved during the past 15 years in terms of equipment and its use, although the shortage of manpower and variations in maturity disclosed by this Patterns of Care Study stratification remain problematic. These constitute the targets for nationwide improvement in quality assurance and quality control.
- OSTI ID:
- 21124435
- Journal Information:
- International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics, Vol. 72, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.12.047; PII: S0360-3016(08)00041-2; Copyright (c) 2008 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0360-3016
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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