Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; CINTESIS - Center for Health Technology and Services Research/ RISE - Health Research Network, Porto, Portugal.
Internal Medicine Department, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, E.P.E, Porto, Portugal.
Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2024 Nov;36(11):e421-e428. doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2024.07.011. Epub 2024 Aug 3.
External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is essential to offer an effective cancer treatment, but it needs to be accessible, well-timed, and high-quality. There is a global lack of radiotherapy infrastructure and investment that compromises the cancer outcomes. The authors aim to quantify the future needs of EBRT until 2040 to cover the future demand.
Based on the Global Cancer Observatory estimate for new cancer cases in Portugal for 2040 it was calculated the optimal number of EBRT courses. The OUP is the proportion of new cancer cases that should receive EBRT at least once. In line with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) DIrectory of RAdiotherapy Centres and European SocieTy for Radiotherapy and Oncology - Health Economics in Radiation Oncology guidelines, we estimated the number of EBRT machines / Megavoltage (MV) units needed. Also, the authors followed the IAEA staffing guidelines.
The calculated median increase in the optimal number of EBRT courses for the year 2040 was found to be 18% when compared to the requirements in 2020. The projected number of optimal EBRT courses for 2040 was estimated to be approximately 34.000. Consequently, a range of 18 to 30 new EBRT machines/ MV units will need to be installed to adequately address the growing demand. To meet this demand, it is anticipated that a total of 28 to 46 radiation oncologists, 22 to 36 medical physicists, and 61 to 102 radiation therapists will be required.
The deficit of EBRT machines / MV units in Portugal will require a change in the cancer related - policies and an investment to offer full access to EBRT treatments.
外照射放疗（EBRT）对于提供有效的癌症治疗至关重要，但它需要易于获得、及时且高质量。全球放疗基础设施和投资的缺乏影响了癌症的治疗效果。作者旨在量化 2040 年之前 EBRT 的未来需求，以满足未来的需求。
根据全球癌症观察站估计的 2040 年葡萄牙新癌症病例数，计算出 EBRT 疗程的最佳数量。OUP 是应至少接受一次 EBRT 的新癌症病例比例。根据国际原子能机构（IAEA）放疗中心名录和欧洲放射肿瘤学会-放射肿瘤学健康经济学指南，我们估计所需的 EBRT 机器/兆伏（MV）单位数量。此外，作者还遵循了 IAEA 的人员配备指南。
与 2020 年的需求相比，计算得出 2040 年最佳 EBRT 疗程数量的中位数增加了 18%。预计 2040 年最佳 EBRT 疗程数量约为 34000 次。因此，需要安装 18 到 30 台新的 EBRT 机器/MV 单位，以满足不断增长的需求。为了满足这一需求，预计总共需要 28 到 46 名放射肿瘤学家、22 到 36 名医学物理学家和 61 到 102 名放射治疗师。
葡萄牙 EBRT 机器/MV 单位的短缺将需要改变与癌症相关的政策，并进行投资以提供全面的 EBRT 治疗机会。
