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Introduction
Volume 12 No 4
I
September 2016
9
do not manage to achieve this at the
moment. The reasons for the shortfall
are complex, and relate to a multitude
of reasons, including referral practices
and geography.
At present we don’t often see stories
on radiation therapy in the media
which herald it as providing a new
breakthrough in the treatment of cancer.
We must continue to advocate and
educate about how effective radiation
therapy is. We will be challenged by
many with vested interests to see their
technique or technology displace
radiation therapy. We must resist this by
standing up in multidisciplinary team
meetings and challenging treatments
that don’t have the evidence base that
radiation therapy has. Plus we must
all support the advocacy work of the
Targeting Cancer campaign to ensure
referrers and patients receive adequate
and balanced information.
While we do not currently achieve
optimum radiation therapy utilisation
rates in either Australia or New Zealand,
we are faced with a future increasing
demand for radiation therapy services,
related to an increasing incidence of
cancer. This increase in incidence is
also multi-factorial. We have an ageing
population: the number of Australians
aged 65 and over is likely to rapidly
increase, from around 2.5 million in
2002 (13% of the population) to 6.2
million in 2042 (25% of the population).
This increase in age of the population
is related to low fertility and increased
life expectancy. As cancer is a disease
of ageing (by age 85, the risk increases
to one in two for men and one in three
for women), this demographic shift will
increase cancer incidence.
Obesity is also a growing problem for
both Australia and New Zealand. An
estimated 62.8 per cent of Australians
were obese or overweight in 2011-12.
This number has increased over time,
from 56.3 per cent in 1995, to 61.2
per cent in 2007-8. Obesity increases
the risk for many cancers, including
oesophageal, thyroid, colon, renal,
endometrial, gallbladder, cervical,
kidney, post-menopausal breast cancer,
leukaemia and ovarian cancer. Obesity
also increases the risk of dying from
cancer.
Our challenge is to ensure that we use
our resources wisely and efficiently,
provide excellent quality, evidence-
based therapy and advocate for
patients to achieve optimal utilisation of
radiation therapy delivered by leading
cancer clinicians.
If you have any feedback or comments
on any of the above, please contact the
College on
faculty@ranzcr.edu.auDr Dion Forstner
Dean, Faculty of Radiation Oncology
Dr Brigid Hickey
Elected Fellow, College Board
“There is no doubt
that MRI is going to
become an increasingly
important component
of radiation therapy.”