Rapid Access Palliative Radiotherapy Programmes

Abstract

One of the greatest successes of radiotherapy has been its ability to palliate symptoms from advanced and metastatic cancers. Unfortunately, patients face barriers to accessing care and the demand for treatment is rising. Rapid access palliative radiotherapy programmes were created in response to these concerns, and over time they have proliferated and succeeded internationally. This narrative review provides an overview of programmes that have published their experiences, and discusses how they have improved access to care, increased evidence-based practice, met the needs of vulnerable populations, advanced the roles of multidisciplinary team members, collaborated across medical specialties, educated trainees and referring physicians, and developed new treatment platforms using advanced technologies.

Establishing a palliative Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist role: A viable alternative to a Rapid Access Palliative Radiation Therapy clinic in Australia

“…Initially established in Canada in the 1990s in response to increasingly unacceptable waiting times, these clinics were intended to expedite treatment, ideally employing single fractions on the day of attendance, thereby sparing patients with a limited lifespan from multiple visits to the department. 7 The concept was gradually adopted elsewhere, including ANZ. 7,8 However, a recent survey on the status of RAPRT clinics in ANZ found that this model has not been widely embraced.…”

“…7 The concept was gradually adopted elsewhere, including ANZ. 7,8 However, a recent survey on the status of RAPRT clinics in ANZ found that this model has not been widely embraced. It found that only three of ANZ's 110 RT departments (2.7%) currently have a RAPRT clinic while five others (4.5%) have closed theirs, leaving 93% of centres which have never had one.…”

The palliative clinical specialist radiation therapist: A CAMRT White Paper

“…Nearly one in two Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime 10 . It is documented that approximately 50% of all cancer patients will require RT 11 , with close to 50% requiring pRT 12 . This creates a significant burden on the RT programs in Ontario, which is projected to continue to grow over time.…”

Palliative chest wall radiotherapy for a fungating and bleeding metastatic breast cancer: quality of life beyond cure

“…2 With the growing incidence and mortality of breast cancer globally, more women will stand to require palliative radiotherapy. International programmes have been developed to provide rapid access to palliative care, 3 and efforts need to be streamlined in low-income…”