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Cancer therapy isn’t just about hitting tumours harder; it’s about hitting the right spot, at the right time, with the least collateral damage. 

In thuis episode Dr Gavin Nimon (Host) sits down with South Australian radiation oncologist Dr Vincent Pow to unpack how modern radiotherapy blends precision physics with genuine human care, guiding patients from referral to first beam with clarity and compassion.

We walk through the full treatment pathway—MDT referrals, planning CT, MRI and PET fusion, and meticulous contouring—before demystifying what happens on the machine. 

Dr Pow explains why fractionation protects healthy tissue, how IMRT and VMAT shape dose around organs, and why today’s sessions feel more like a painless CT than a procedure. We dig into SABR’s rise in early lung and prostate cancer, and how targeted ablation is changing the outlook for oligometastatic disease by controlling spots in lung, liver, bone, and brain while delaying systemic escalation.

You’ll also hear a frank guide to side‑effects: what’s common, what’s rare, and how teams manage everything from cystitis and oesophagitis to fatigue and skin changes. 

We explore adaptive radiotherapy—seeing tumours daily and adjusting dose on the fly—plus the growing role of AI in contouring and planning. Dr Pow shares why access matters, how telehealth and cancer lodges reduce travel for rural patients, and where education campaigns like Targeting Cancer help GPs and patients make informed choices. 

This conversation brings the science down to earth without losing the nuance. Follow the show, share it with a colleague who needs a clean explainer, and leave a review with your biggest question about radiotherapy so we can tackle it next.

Aussie Med Ed is supported by HealthShare. 

HealthShare is a digital health company that provides solutions for patients, GPs and specialists across Australia. Two of HealthShare's  products are Better Consult, a pre consultation questionnaire that allows GPs to know a patient's agenda before the consult begins,  as well as HealthShare's Specialist Referrals Directory, a specialist and allied health directory helping GPs find the right specialist.

Aussie Med Ed is sponsored by Avant  Medical Indemnity: They state that they offer holistic support to help the doctor practice safely and believe they have extensive cover that's continually evolving to meet your needs in the ever changing regulatory environment.

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HealthShare
HealthShare is a digital health company providing solutions for patients, GPs and specialists

Avant Medical Defence Organisation
Offerring support for the doctor practice safely with extensive cover that's continually evolving

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