Virtual Training on IGRT: A Unique Initiative of a Private Cancer Center from a Developing Country with Regional Academic Collaboration during COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): In the year 2020 cancer was identified as the second leading cause of death globally with more than 19 million cancer cases and 10 million cancer deaths. As per GLOBOCAN 2020, the caseload of cancer in Bangladesh was 1,56,775 and the cancer death were 1,08,990. Radiation therapy (RT) is indicated for around 50% of cancer, achieving local control and overall survival benefit. Inadequate number of RT facilities and manpower, huge cancer patient burden, lack of trained manpower is the main barrier for optimum cancer care of Bangladesh. During the COVID pandemic a unique initiative for manpower training in the field of radiation therapy was taken by a private cancer center of Bangladesh, with the regional academic collaboration of a Cancer Institute and Research Center of India. "Virtual training on IGRT" was arranged mainly for radiation therapy technologists (RTT) also with the provision for radiation oncologists (RO) and medical physicists (MP) to attend. MATERIALS/METHODS: Retrospective record review of the IGRT training program arranged from 4 September to 9 October 2020 was done. RESULTS: The program was designed for five days on five week ends (4 September,11 September, 18 September, 25 September and 9 October 2021) for a duration of three-hours daily. First day was the introductory session which covered Setup, Fusion, Immobilization and Context Setting, followed by site specific discussion. On Day 2. Head and Neck Cancer, Brain Cancer, Day 3. Breast and Thoracic Cancer, Day 4. Upper and Lower Gastrointestinal Cancer, Day 5. Prostate and Cervical Cancer were covered. A number of 245 candidates completed the pre-program online registration (RO- 83, MP-43, RTT-87 and PG Students-32). Among them total 230 attended the virtual program (Day-1-64, Day 2-150, Day 3-100, Day 4-103 and Day 5-103) Total 22 faculties were engaged from the collaborative center of India for this virtual training program where 11 were RO, 4 MP and 9 were RTT. Out of 230 attendants,133 (58%) provided their online feedback. Majority of them (>90%) found the training contents relevant to their daily practice and they opined that this training will help to change their ongoing practice. CONCLUSION: This first ever initiative of a private Cancer center of Bangladesh with regional academic collaboration could create encouraging response among participants with significant impact on their everyday practice. Participants found the training useful and practice changing. Well-structured, need based more such virtual training program may be arranged in future. This model can be reproduced at other developing countries with the expectation of similar outcome.