A 5-Year, Multi-Institutional Mentorship Program in Radiation Oncology: The Society for Women in Radiation Oncology Experience.

Purpose: Mentorship in the field of radiation oncology (RO) promotes career development and satisfaction. Many individuals, however, do not have access to mentorship or are unsatisfied with their mentorship experience, potentially because of insufficient gender-concordant mentorship opportunities. To address this, the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology (SWRO) created the SWRO Mentorship Program for women, gender minorities, and those with intersecting marginalized identities at all stages of training for physicians and medical physicists.

Patterns of Locoregional Pancreatic Cancer Recurrence After Total Neoadjuvant Therapy and Implications on Optimal Neoadjuvant Radiation Treatment Volumes.

Purpose: This study aimed to generate a map of local recurrences after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation (total neoadjuvant therapy [TNT]) followed by surgical resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Such recurrence patterns will serve to inform radiation treatment planning volumes that should be given in the neoadjuvant setting.

Methods And Materials: Locoregional recurrences after TNT followed by surgery treated between 2009 and 2022 were radiologically identified.

Effects of housing stability and contemporary mortgage lending bias on breast cancer stage at diagnosis among older women in the United States.

Background: Interventions aimed at upstream factors contributing to late-stage diagnoses could reduce disparities and improve breast cancer outcomes. This study examines the association between measures of housing stability and contemporary mortgage lending bias on breast cancer stage at diagnosis among older women in the United States.

Methods: We studied 67,588 women aged 66-90 from the SEER-Medicare linked database (2010-2015).

Can I Leave? Perspectives on Parental Leave and Parenthood in Medical Training Among Program Directors and Trainees in Oncologic Specialties.

Peak fertility commonly occurs during medical training, and delaying parenthood can complicate pregnancies. Trainee parental leave policies are varied and lack transparency. Research on the impacts of parenthood on trainee education is limited.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care including innovations implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.

Background: The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused disruptions in the delivery and utilisation of cancer services. The impact of these interruptions is disproportionately borne by low- and middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There are speculations of increased late-stage presentation and mortality as services are returning to the pre-pandemic state.

Disparities in outcomes and access to therapy options in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities and patients with lower socioeconomic status. These social determinants of health (SDH) lead to disparities in access to care and outcomes. We aim to understand the relationship between SDH and survival and locoregional treatment options in HCC.

Achieving the Unachievable: Work-Life Balance in Radiation Oncology.

As radiation oncologists, we often participate in discussions on work-life balance, are offered lectures and free meals, and complete hospital-mandated modules, all under the guise of physician wellness. But how often are these measures efficacious? How do we define being well in our demanding and fast-paced careers? What does it actually look like on a day-to-day basis to achieve work-life balance? Furthermore, is it even possible?

SUPPORT: SUrvey of Parental Leave POlicies of RadiaTion Oncology Programs and Residency Applicants.

Purpose: Recruitment to radiation oncology training programs has recently declined, and gender inequities persist in radiation oncology. Policies that promote inclusivity, such as the updated American College of Graduate Medical Education parental leave policy establishing minimum parental leave requirements, may support recruitment to radiation oncology.

Methods And Materials: We surveyed 2021-2022 radiation oncology residency applicants and program directors (PDs) about program-specific parental leave policies, transparency of parental leave information during the residency application and interview process, and perceptions of the effect of parenthood on residency training, career advancement, and well-being.

Overcoming Burnout and Promoting Wellness in Radiation Oncology: A Report From the ACR Commission on Radiation Oncology.

Burnout, defined by the presence of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased sense of personal accomplishment, impacts a significant portion of radiation oncologists. This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is notably worse for women, and has been identified as an international concern. Key contributors to burnout within radiation oncology include inadequate clinical and administrative support, imbalanced personal and professional lives including time with family and for self-care, decreased job satisfaction secondary to increased electronic medical record and decreased patient time, unsupportive organizational culture, lack of transparency from leadership and inclusion in administrative decisions, emotionally intensive patient interactions, challenges within the radiation oncology workforce, financial security related to productivity-based compensation and increasing medical training-related debt, limited education on wellness, and fear of seeking mental health services due to stigma and potential negative impacts on the trajectory of one's career.

Access to Radiation Therapy and Related Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Cervical and Breast Cancer Across Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To better understand the barriers to accessing standard-of-care radiation therapy (RT) for breast and cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and their impact on outcomes.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was completed with a medical librarian. Articles were screened by title, abstract, and full text.

Historical redlining and breast cancer treatment and survival among older women in the United States.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among US women, and institutional racism is a critical cause of health disparities. We investigated impacts of historical redlining on BC treatment receipt and survival in the United States.

Methods: Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC) boundaries were used to measure historical redlining.

WeWhoCurie: An Initiative to Advocate for Those Underrepresented in Radiation Oncology.

Purpose: An initiative to advocate for those underrepresented in radiation oncology.

Methods And Materials: Inspired by the success of the #ILookLikeAnEngineer and #ILookLikeASurgeon campaigns, this initiative aimed to break down stereotypes in traditionally male-dominated fields. In honor of Marie Curie's birthday, on November 7, 2018, the Society for Women in Radiation Oncology launched a social media campaign called #WomenWhoCurie day.

The Current State of Departmental Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts Within US Academic Radiation Oncology Departments.

Purpose: Promoting a diverse workforce of health care professionals that delivers equitable patient care is an important goal in oncology, as in all of medicine. Although most medical schools have a diversity office and associated initiatives, little is known about radiation oncology (RO) department-level efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We describe the current state of DEI leadership and initiatives in RO departments in the US to guide future policies and programs.

Social determinants of health, workforce diversity, and financial toxicity: A review of disparities in cancer care.

Disparities in cancer care and outcomes between racial and ethnic groups, urban and rural populations, and socioeconomic classes are well documented and represent one of the greatest forms of injustice throughout the United States. Despite the development of increasingly efficacious treatments, survival disparities have widened over time, with known impacts based on both medical factors and social determinants of health including education, neighborhood, factors, and access to care, among others. In this review, we discuss current state of inequities in access to cancer services, treatment-related financial toxicity, and disparities within the oncology workforce, all of which significantly impact the ability of clinicians to provide high quality, equitable, and guideline-compliant care for all people with cancer.

Social Media and the Quest for Equity and Diversity in Oncology: On Safe Spaces and the Concept of the Public Physician.

Despite their increased enrollment into medical school, women still face systemic barriers in medicine, whether in an academic or nonacademic setting. Those from Under-Represented Minority (URM) groups face similar issues, which may affect their desire to enter, pursue, and/or maintain a career in medicine. Social media provides unique opportunities for peer-to-peer support among members of URM communities and for amplification of their voices calling for social justice-here defined as a redistribution of power and the quest for equity in access to opportunities, including access to mentorship, professional development, and timely promotion in academic rank.

Pretransplant Splenic Irradiation in Patients With Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Purpose: Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) serves as the only curative treatment option for patients with myelofibrosis and other myeloproliferative neoplasms. Splenomegaly commonly manifests in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms and can lead to delayed or poor engraftment, increased transfusion burden, and worse survival. Methods to decrease the effect of splenomegaly include splenectomy and splenic irradiation.

Online Medical Misinformation in Cancer: Distinguishing Fact From Fiction.

It is without question that the Internet has democratized access to medical information, with estimates that 70% of the American population use it as a resource, particularly for cancer-related information. Such unfettered access to information has led to an increase in health misinformation. Fortunately, the data indicate that health care professionals remain among the most trusted information resources.

Netiquette for social media engagement for oncology professionals.

Social media growth has revolutionized health care, facilitating user-friendly, rapid and global sharing of content. Within oncology, this allows for new frontiers in communication for cancer patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. As more physicians engage in online spaces, it is imperative that there are resources to assist in establishing a professional presence on social media.

Updates and new directions in the use of radiation therapy for the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: dose, sensitization, and novel technology.

Panc reatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating malignancy. There have been few advances that have substantially improved overall survival in the past several years. On its current trajectory, the deaths from PDAC are expected to cross that from all gastrointestinal cancers combined by 2030.