French Radiotherapy Database: Results Of A Survey Of French Radiation Oncology Centers In 2007

For the second year, the French Radiotherapy Database presents information from French radiation oncology centers. Among 179 centers, 159 have participated (90%). The number of accelerators increased from 371 to 384 between 2006 and 2007, 11% of these machines are more than 15 years old. On average, centers are open 50 hours per week for treatment and 9.5% more for maintenance. The lack of dedicated CT remains a difficulty: 158 from 159 centers have an access to a CT, but only 50% have a dedicated scanner. There is no progress compared to 2006. The proportion of centers having a MU double calculation system has increased from 51 to 58%. Two thirds of centers do not implement in vivo dosimetry. The activity is stable around 190 000 treatments per year. Three-dimension conformal radiotherapy is used for more than half of treatments in 77.2% of private centers and 50% of public hospitals. Intensity modulated radiotherapy remains rarely used. The number of radiation oncologists and technologists remains stable. The number of radiophysicists has increased from 7.6%. Despite some progress, the difficulties of this speciality persist in France and are equally distributed across all regions, and between private and public centers. In 2009, the French Society for Radiation Oncology and the associated partners will continue this survey, which interest is recognized by both professionals and health administrations. (C) 2009 Societe francaise de radiotherapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.