Objectives: To describe current patterns of practice of radiation oncology peer review within a provincial cancer system, identifying barriers and facilitators to its use with the ultimate aim of process improvement.
Design: A survey of radiation oncology programmes at provincial cancer centres.
Setting: All cancer centres within the province of Ontario, Canada (n=14). These are community-based outpatient facilities overseen by Cancer Care Ontario, the provincial cancer agency.
Participants: A delegate from each radiation oncology programme filled out a single survey based on input from their multidisciplinary team.
Outcome Measures: Rated importance of peer review; current utilisation; format of the peer-review process; organisation and timing; case attributes; outcomes of the peer-review process and perceived barriers and facilitators to expanding peer-review processes.
Results: 14 (100%) centres responded. All rated the importance of peer review as at least 8/10 (10=extremely important). Detection of medical error and improvement of planning processes were the highest rated perceived benefits of peer review (each median 9/10). Six centres (43%) reviewed at least 50% of curative cases; four of these centres (29%) conducted peer review in more than 80% of cases treated with curative intent. Fewer than 20% of cases treated with palliative intent were reviewed in most centres. Five centres (36%) reported usually conducting peer review prior to the initiation of treatment. Five centres (36%) recorded the outcomes of peer review on the medical record. Thirteen centres (93%) planned to expand peer-review activities; a critical mass of radiation oncologists was the most important limiting factor (median 6/10).
Conclusions: Radiation oncology peer-review practices can vary even within a cancer system with provincial oversight. The application of guidelines and standards for peer-review processes, and monitoring of implementation and outcomes, will require effective knowledge translation activities.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3731715 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003241 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Effectiveness of a home-based computerized cognitive training in Parkinson's disease: a pilot randomized cross-over study.
Front Psychol
January 2025
Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Laboratory of Neuropsychology of Bari Institute, Bari, Italy.
Introduction: Cognitive symptoms are common in Parkinson's Disease (PD), and digital interventions like telerehabilitation other an accessible way to manage these symptoms. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a Home-Based Computerized Cognitive Training (HB-CCT) program in individuals with PD using a pilot randomized cross-over design.
Methods: Twenty-five participants (mean age 69.
Intestinal permeability, food antigens and the microbiome: a multifaceted perspective.
Front Allergy
January 2025
Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pediatric Unit, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
The gut barrier encompasses several interactive, physical, and functional components, such as the gut microbiota, the mucus layer, the epithelial layer and the gut mucosal immunity. All these contribute to homeostasis in a well-regulated manner. Nevertheless, this frail balance might be disrupted for instance by westernized dietary habits, infections, pollution or exposure to antibiotics, thus diminishing protective immunity and leading to the onset of chronic diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntibiotic-mediated dysbiosis leads to activation of inflammatory pathways.
Front Immunol
January 2025
Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Introduction: The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in influencing host health, through the production of metabolites and other key signalling molecules. While the impact of specific metabolites or taxa on host cells is well-documented, the broader impact of a disrupted microbiota on immune homeostasis is less understood, which is particularly important in the context of the increasing overuse of antibiotics.
Methods: Female C57BL/6 mice were gavaged twice daily for four weeks with Vancomycin, Polymyxin B, or PBS (control).
Squamate reptiles may have compensated for the lack of γδTCR with a duplication of the TRB locus.
Front Immunol
January 2025
Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
Squamate reptiles are amongst the most successful terrestrial vertebrate lineages, with over 10,000 species across a broad range of ecosystems. Despite their success, squamates are also amongst the least studied lineages immunologically. Recently, a universal lack of γδ T cells in squamates due to deletions of the genes encoding the T cell receptor (TCR) γ and δ chains was discovered.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInjecting hope: the potential of intratumoral immunotherapy for locally advanced and metastatic cancer.
Front Immunol
January 2025
BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Vestec, Czechia.
Despite enormous progress, advanced cancers are still one of the most serious medical problems in current society. Although various agents and therapeutic strategies with anticancer activity are known and used, they often fail to achieve satisfactory long-term patient outcomes and survival. Recently, immunotherapy has shown success in patients by harnessing important interactions between the immune system and cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!