On this episode of the ABS Podcast, Dr. Gita Suneja and Dr. Cristina DeCesaris join Dr. Harkenrider to discuss the quality of life and financial analyses of the SAVE trial. The SAVE trial randomized patients to a 2 fraction regimen vs a standard of care regimen of VBT with an emphasis on pragmatic design and inclusive enrollment to measure patient centered outcomes.  Join our lively discussion on trial design and creating treatment options that matter for patients!

In this episode of the American Brachytherapy Society podcast, Dr. Alexandra Stewart, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Royal Surrey, discusses the evolving role of rectal brachytherapy in non-operative management of rectal cancer. Drawing from her expertise and international experience, Dr. Stewart explores key findings from the OPERA trial, patient selection criteria, dosing strategies, and the latest advancements in contact X-ray brachytherapy (CXB) techniques. She also highlights the impact of treatment protocols on clinical outcomes and future directions, including insights into the TRESOR trial. Tune in for an in-depth conversation on how brachytherapy is shaping the future of rectal cancer care.

In this episode, our guests Dr. Supriya Chopra and Dr. Remi Nout discuss BioEMBRACE and the evolving landscape of biomarkers in locally advanced cervical cancer. As thought leaders in the field, Drs. Chopra and Nout give their insights on the future of biomarker-driven therapy in cervical cancer with a continued emphasis on high quality brachytherapy as we move in this direction. 

In this episode of the ABS podcast, Dr. Matthew Harkenrider sits down with Dr. Kathy Han from Princess Margaret Hospital and University of Toronto to discuss her recent manuscript entitled “Clinical Outcomes of 3 Versus 4 Fractions of Magnetic Resonance Image-Guided Brachytherapy in Cervical Cancer."  They discuss the decision making of dose-fractionation regimens that fit the resources available at a given center and the challenges that accompany the management of cervical cancer patients.  Additionally, they discuss best practices in cervical cancer brachytherapy and procedural and planning techniques to optimize patient outcomes. 

In this episode of the ABS podcast, Dr. Manuj Agarwal and Dr. Rebecca Krc dive into the transformative 300 in 10 initiative, a groundbreaking effort by the American Brachytherapy Society to reverse declining brachytherapy utilization. Dr. Agarwal provides an overview of the initiative’s origins, the ABS Board of Directors’ 10-year vision, and the program’s goals to train 30 competent brachytherapy teams annually through a comprehensive approach.

Dr. Krc shares her personal journey with the initiative, reflecting on her experiences as a participant and how the program has prepared her to overcome barriers to establishing a successful brachytherapy practice. Together, they discuss the program’s role in addressing gaps in training caused by low institutional brachytherapy volume and its potential to shape the future of the field.

 Learn more and apply for the fellowship: https://www.americanbrachytherapy.org/resources/fellowships/300-in-10-2-month-fellowship/

Host:
Dr. Manuj Agarwal
Co-Founder, Prostate Cancer Institute of America

Guest:
Dr. Aman Taggar, MD
Radiation Oncologist, Odette Cancer Center, Sunnybrook Health Science Center
Twitter/X: @dramantaggar

In this episode, Dr. Manuj Agarwal interviews Dr. Aman Taggar about the ASCENDE-SBRT trial, a study comparing SBRT and brachytherapy as boost techniques for intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer. The trial builds on the ASCENDE-RT study, with a focus on refining treatment plans, including considerations for focal boost and androgen deprivation. Dr. Taggar explains the reasoning behind including both LDR and HDR brachytherapy in the trial and shares insights into the use of I-125 and Pd-103 isotopes in the LDR arm.

Key Discussion Points:

For more information on the PR.24 trial discussed in this episode, visit the PR.24 trial page.

We sat down with Vratislav Strnad and discussed the plenary session at the World Congress exploring the 10 year update of the GEC-ESTRO trial comparing whole breast irradiation versus accelerated partial breast irradiation using multicatheter brachytherapy

JC Cheng is a Brachytherapy fellow under Dr. Juanita Crook at Univeristy of British Columbia. We discussed the plenary session at the World Congress that explored LDR vs HDR boost for combination therapy in unfavorable and high risk prostate cancer.

Dr. Memory shares her experience in developing and growing this vital program in Botswana as a plenary session at the World Congress of Brachytherapy in Washington DC.

We sat down with Dr. Greg Merrick to discuss his randomized trial presented as a plenary session at the World Congress of Brachytherapy in Washington DC.