An impact model to understand and improve work-life balance in early-career researchers in radiation oncology.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial effect on mental health and work productivity of early-career researchers working in Radiation Oncology (RO). However, the underlying mechanisms of these effects are unclear. The aim of the current qualitative study was therefore to achieve a better understanding of how these effects arose and could be managed in the future.

Alexithymia and professional quality of life in radiation oncology: The moderator effect of the professional profile.

Background And Purpose: Cancer care can be taxing. Alexithymia, a personality construct characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing feeling and emotions, an externally-oriented thinking style and scarcity of imagination and fantasy, is significantly correlated with higher levels of both secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout and lower levels of compassion satisfaction in medical professionals in radiation oncology. In this study, we aimed to assess the difference in professional quality of life (QoL) and the association with alexithymia in this multidisciplinary field depending on the specific profession (radiation/clinical oncologist, RO; medical physicist, MP; radiation therapist, RTT).

Professional quality of life and burnout among medical physicists working in radiation oncology: The role of alexithymia and empathy.

Background And Purpose: The professional quality of life of radiation oncology professionals can be influenced by different contributing factors, including personality traits. Alexithymia involves deficits in emotion processing and awareness. Empathy is the ability to understand another's 'state of mind/emotion'.

The role of alexithymia and empathy on radiation therapists' professional quality of life.

Background And Purpose: Physical and mental well-being are crucial for oncology professionals as they affect performance at work. Personality traits, as alexithymia and empathy, may influence professional quality of life. Alexithymia involves diminished skills in emotion processing and awareness.

Professional quality of life and burnout amongst radiation oncologists: The impact of alexithymia and empathy.

Background And Purpose: Different factors may influence the professional quality of life of oncology professionals. Among them, personality traits, as alexithymia and empathy, are underinvestigated. Alexithymia is about deficits in emotion processing and awareness.

Intravenous contrast media in radiation therapy planning computed tomography scans - Current practice in Ireland.

Introduction: While Computerised Tomography (CT) remains the gold standard in radiation therapy (RT) planning, inferior soft tissue definition remains a challenge. Intravenous contrast (IVC) use during CT planning can enhance soft tissue contrast optimising Target Volume (TV) and Organ at Risk visualisation and delineation. Despite this known benefit, there are no guidelines for when and how to use IVC in RT planning scans in Ireland.

Establishment of national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for radiotherapy localisation computer tomography of the head and neck.

Aim: The aim of this research is to establish if variation exists in the dose delivered for head and neck (HN) localisation computed tomography (CT) imaging in radiation therapy (RT); to propose a national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for this procedure and to make a comparison between the national DRL and a DRL of a European sample.

Background: CT has become an indispensable tool in radiotherapy (RT) treatment planning. It is a requirement of legislation in many countries that doses of ionising radiation for medical exposures be kept 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable'.

A comparison of bladder volumes based on treatment planning CT and BladderScan® BVI 6100 ultrasound device in a prostate radiation therapy population.

Objective:: The aim of this study is to investigate if a handheld ultrasound device (BladderScan® BVI 6100) can accurately measure bladder volumes in prostate radiotherapy (RT) patients.

Methods:: A comparison was made of contoured bladder volumes based on treatment planning CT (TPCT) and BladderScan® BVI 6100 ultrasound device in a large prostate RT population. Three bladder volume (BV) measurements were taken using the bladder volume instrument (BVI) device on prostate RT patients immediately prior to TPCT (n = 190).

Is birth weight the major confounding factor in the study of gestational weight gain?: an observational cohort study.

Background: Much interest has been focussed on both maternal obesity and gestational weight gain (GWG), particularly on their role in influencing birth weight (BW). Several large reviews have reported that excessive GWG is associated with an increase in BW However recent large, well-designed, randomized controlled trials studying interventions aimed at reducing GWG have all consistently failed to show a reduction in BW despite achieving a reduction in GWG. The aim of this longitudinal prospective study was to examine the relationship between GWG and birth weight in women where GWG and Body Mass Index (BMI) were measured accurately in a strictly standardized way.

Learning radiation oncology in Europe: Results of the ESTRO multidisciplinary survey.

Introduction: Radiotherapy education can be very different across Europe, despite the publication of the ESTRO core curricula in 2011. The purpose of the current study is to map the different RO European education systems, to report their perceived quality and to understand what could be improved to better teach RO.

Methods: An online survey consisting of 30 questions was sent to RO professionals under 40 years of age via email and social media.

The Role of Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: The use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) to treat brain metastases (BM) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is restricted due to the potential associated toxicity and lack of survival benefit. BM can have a negative impact on neurocognitive function (NF) and quality of life (QOL). The aim of this review was to assess the impact of PCI on disease-specific and NF and QOL outcomes.

A review of dosimetric and toxicity modeling of proton versus photon craniospinal irradiation for pediatrics medulloblastoma.

Background: Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is the standard radiation therapy treatment for medulloblastoma. Conventional CSI photon therapy (Photon-CSI) delivers significant dose to surrounding normal tissue (NT). Research into pediatric CSI with proton therapy (Proton-CSI) has increased, with the aim of exploiting the potential to reduce NT dose and associated post-treatment complications.

How do women feel about being weighed during pregnancy? A qualitative exploration of the opinions and experiences of postnatal women.

Objective: to explore routine weighing in antenatal care and weight management in pregnancy with women who have been weighed during pregnancy.

Design: a qualitative study utilising semi-structured telephone interviews, and thematic analysis.

Setting: participants resided in Dublin, Ireland and had been weighed during pregnancy.

Duration of periconceptional folic acid supplementation in women booking for antenatal care.

Objective: To provide accurate estimates of the commencement time, duration and dosage of folic acid (FA) supplementation taken by Irish women in the periconceptional period. The study also aimed to establish the factors associated with optimal FA supplementation practices.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Maternal nutrient intakes from food and drinks consumed in early pregnancy in Ireland.

Background: The aim of this observational study was to measure food, macronutrient and micronutrient intakes of women presenting for antenatal care and assess compliance with current nutritional recommendations.

Methods: Women were recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy. Maternal weight and height were measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated.

Establishment of national diagnostic reference levels for breast cancer CT protocols in radiation therapy.

Objective: To establish whether CT dose variation occurs in breast cancer localization procedures between radiation therapy (RT) centres in Ireland and to propose diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for this procedure.

Methods: All RT centres in Ireland were invited to participate in a dose audit survey, providing data on the CT dose index volume (CTDIvol), dose-length product (DLP), current-time product (mAs), tube potential, scan length, slice thickness, scanning margins, use of automated exposure control (AEC) and scanner technology for 10 patients with breast cancer who were average sized. DRLs were derived for each dose descriptor by calculation of the rounded 75th percentile of the distribution of mean doses.

Breast-feeding and postpartum maternal weight trajectories.

Objective: We examined whether breast-feeding, and in particular exclusive breast-feeding, was associated with maternal weight and body composition changes at 4 months postpartum independently of other maternal variables.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Women were recruited in the first trimester after an ultrasound examination confirmed an ongoing singleton pregnancy.

An analysis of folic acid supplementation in women presenting for antenatal care.

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are major congenital malformations that are potentially preventable if the woman takes periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplements. A recent report found that NTD incidence had increased in Ireland. This study examined the usage of FA supplementation in women presenting for antenatal care in a maternity hospital.

An estimation of periconceptional under-reporting of dietary energy intake.

Background: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine periconceptional misreporting of energy intake (EI) using the Willet food frequency questionnaire (WFFQ).

Methods: Women were recruited in the first trimester. Women completed a semi-quantitative WFFQ.

A randomized trial comparing bladder volume consistency during fractionated prostate radiation therapy.

Purpose: Organ motion is a contributory factor to the variation in location of the prostate and organs at risk during a course of fractionated prostate radiation therapy (RT). A prospective randomized controlled trial was designed with the primary endpoint to provide evidence-based bladder-filling instructions to achieve a consistent bladder volume (BV) and thus reduce the bladder-related organ motion. The secondary endpoints were to assess the incidence of acute and late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity for patients and patients' satisfaction with the bladder-filling instructions.

Interpregnancy changes in maternal weight and body mass index.

Objective: This longitudinal study compared changes in maternal weight and body mass index (BMI) in early pregnancy in the time interval between when a woman first attended for antenatal care with her first child and when she next attended for antenatal care.

Study Design: We studied women with a singleton pregnancy who delivered their first baby weighing ≥ 500 g in 2009 and who attended again for antenatal care with an ongoing pregnancy before January 1, 2012. Maternal weight and height were measured before 18 weeks' gestation in both pregnancies and BMI was calculated.

The relationship between gestational weight gain and fetal growth: time to take stock?

The aim of this article is to review the current evidence on gestational weight gain (GWG). Maternal obesity has emerged as one of the great challenges in modern obstetrics as it is becoming increasingly common and is associated with increased maternal and fetal complications. There has been an upsurge of interest in GWG with an emphasis on the relationship between excessive GWG and increased fetal growth.

The updated ESTRO core curricula 2011 for clinicians, medical physicists and RTTs in radiotherapy/radiation oncology.

Introduction: In 2007 ESTRO proposed a revision and harmonisation of the core curricula for radiation oncologists, medical physicists and RTTs to encourage harmonised education programmes for the professional disciplines, to facilitate mobility between EU member states, to reflect the rapid development of the professions and to secure the best evidence-based education across Europe.

Material And Methods: Working parties for each core curriculum were established and included a broad representation with geographic spread and different experience with education from the ESTRO Educational Committee, local representatives appointed by the National Societies and support from ESTRO staff.

Results: The revised curricula have been presented for the ESTRO community and endorsement is ongoing.