Referral to radiation oncology prior to prostatectomy: Referral rates in a New Zealand tertiary Centre.

Background: Radical prostatectomy and radical radiotherapy have equivalent survival outcomes in the treatment of localised prostate cancer but differing side-effect profiles. The 2018 Faculty of Radiation Oncology of the Royal Australasian College of Radiologists (RANZCR) position statement recommends that patients have the opportunity to discuss all suitable treatment options, ideally with the relevant specialist. This study aimed to determine the number and characteristics of men referred to radiation oncology before undergoing radical prostatectomy in the years immediately preceding the 2018 RANZCR position statement.

Survey of brachytherapy training experience among radiation oncology trainees and fellows in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).

Introduction: To evaluate brachytherapy training experience among trainees and fellows trained through the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR).

Methods: All current trainees and fellows (who obtained fellowship from 2015 onwards) were sent an online anonymous questionnaire on various aspects of brachytherapy training, including number of cases observed/ performed, opinions on brachytherapy assessment during training, barriers to brachytherapy training and future role of brachytherapy.

Results: The overall survey response rate was 24% (40/161 trainees, 30/126 fellows).

30-day mortality following palliative radiotherapy.

Introduction: Patients dying a short time after receiving palliative radiation are unlikely to have received benefit and may experience harm. To monitor the potential for avoidable harm, 30-day mortality following palliative radiation has been recommended for use as a quality indicator and the Royal College of Radiologist have recommended a rate of lower than 20%. At the Canterbury Regional Cancer and Haematology Service in Christchurch, New Zealand (CRCHS), we investigated 30-day mortality and evaluated the prognostic value of the TEACHH model in our population.