Current Status of Personalized Care in Radiotherapy

Abstract

There have been constant changes and progressive developments in the technology used for the planning and delivery of radiotherapy, especially with the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) and telemedicine in cancer diagnosis/treatments/outcomes. Advancements in medical technology and a growing understanding of individual patient characteristics have facilitated a paradigm shift towards personalized care in radiotherapy. With the ever-increasing complexity of the radiotherapy patient pathway and limited healthcare resources, we, as healthcare professionals within radiation oncology, are obliged to respond to these ongoing advances efficiently through various resource optimization initiatives with a patient-centered personalised care focus. The radiotherapy workflows and models of care should be continuously evolved with an emphasis on high-quality communications/interactions between patients and clinicians/radiation therapists, in order to support the consistent engagement of patients and their families at each stage of their cancer care journey. Against this background, this presentation will include the following:

- Complexity of radiation therapy pathways and the importance of patient-centered personalised care

- Current landscape of personalized approaches in radiotherapy, encompassing the integration of advanced imaging modalities and patient-specific factors

- Existing challenges on radiation therapy resources and workforce supply

- Examples of innovative model of care such as case expert model and radiation therapist advanced practice with the focus personalised care in radiotherapy

- A glimpse into the future – how should we move forward as a multi-professional group for patient-centered personalised care optimisation.