Deviating from radiation protocols increases risk of treatment failure and death

Implementing measures to ensure radiation therapy protocols are followed not only decreases deviations, but it can also improve overall survival in cancer patients, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital researchers suggest in a study presented during a plenary session at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 54th Annual Meeting in Boston (28-31 October, 2012). The findings revealed that deviating from protocols was associated with up to a 75% increased risk of treatment failure and overall mortality. This suggests that implementing QA measures to ensure protocols are followed could improve outcomes for cancer patients, according to the authors. Read more here.