Deviation From Delivery Of Radiation Therapy To Childhood Cancer
Patients: A Retrospective Audit
Abstract
Background The delivery of Radiation therapy (RT) needs a level of
coordination and planning which can be challenging in resource-limited
settings. In this retrospective study we describe the profile of
children undergoing radiation and analyze deviation from accepted norms.
Procedure Data on all children (< 18 years age) with cancer
who completed RT from Jan 2009 to Dec 2019 were retrieved. Diagnostic
groups with more than 5 patients, were included in the analysis for
deviations in RT (Time to start (TTS); total dose delivered (TDD) in
Grays; and time to complete (TTC)). We investigated reasons for
deviation. Results 207 received RT as front-line treatment (68% Indian,
59% male and 32% received treatment preceding RT outside). Most common
diagnosis were brain tumors (44%), lymphoma (13%). leukemia and soft
tissue sarcoma (10% each). 23.6% had deviation in TTS, 6.0% in TDD
and 24.7% in TTC while 43.4% had at least one deviation in any of
these three parameters. Deviation in TTS varied significantly by
location of preceding treatment and by cancer (greatest deviation in
sarcomas) with issues around access to healthcare the most common
reason. Deviation in TTC varied significantly by cancer (greatest
deviation in sarcomas and medulloblastoma) with myelotoxicity the most
common reason. Conclusions Our study adds to the limited literature on
RT quality for children with cancer in LMIC. Certain cancers (sarcomas
and medulloblastoma) and patient groups (preceding treatment outside our
institute) had the maximum deviation. Barriers to accessing care and
myelotoxicity were the two main reasons for this deviation.