TSJCI Annual Report 2021

Trinity St James’s Cancer Institute Annual Report 2021 28 Section 5.0 St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network 5.1 Clinical Care Highlights Radiotherapy treatment for the Cancer Institute is provided by St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (SLRON). In 2021, SLRON continued dealing with the difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining successful developments introduced in 2020. The unprecedented cyber-attack on the HSE in May 2021, caused significant challenges for SLRON in maintaining service delivery. Thanks to our in-house IT, clinical IT and clinical engineering teams, SLRON was the only public centre nationally able to provide radiotherapy for category 1 patients in the immediate aftermath of the incident. 5.2 SLRON Activity • Delivered 1,288 radiotherapy treatment starts (new and return patients) and 19,911 radiotherapy fractions (4% increase on 2020) • Complexity of radiotherapy remained consistent with previous years with 77% of treatment delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) • Delivered 59 total body irradiation (TBI) and 743 stereotactic ablative therapy (SCT) treatment fractions (36% increase in SABR compared with 2020) 5.3 Key Developments during 2021 • Implementation of Surface Guided Radiotherapy (SGRT) for breast patients. • Implementation of bladder scanning devices to assist with monitoring and compliance with radiotherapy bladder filling protocols. • Development and expansion of SABR service with increased activity. 5.4 Key Priorities for 2022 • Planning for major radiotherapy equipment replacement programme. • Establish SLRON as National Lead Centre for SABR with educational focus. • Expand use of Rapidplan software to head and neck cancers. • Implement use of SGRT with SABR treatments. • Pilot artificial intelligence (AI) software for contouring in planning system. • Build on established links with the Cancer Institute to improve data sharing processes and enhance patient pathways.