Background: The global incidence of cancer is rising, especially in low and middle income countries. Radiotherapy is important in cancer treatment of curative and palliative care, either alone or in combination with other treatment modalities. However radiotherapy techniques have evolved from two dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). In addition, this new image-based treatment planning reduces the volume of surrounding normal tissues to be irradiated unnecessarily and being exposed to high dose of radiation. Thus improves treatment outcome while reducing treatment related toxicities. Aim: To train and gain skills in radiotherapy planning and treatment with modern radiation 3D-CRT technology in Ghana. Methods: Hospital based cross sectional study will be conducted at the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre in Ghana and the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), in Tanzania. We will recruit patients with a convenient sample size, from different cancer diagnosis and stages after obtaining their signed consents. The outcome from 2D and 3D planning and treatment techniques will be compared. We will use pretreatment CT scan images to assess tumor size prior to treatment and posttreatment CT scan images to assess treatment response. Furthermore, the WHO toxicity grading criteria will be used to assess early treatment related side effects between 2D and 3D treatment techniques. Results: I have not yet been on the fellowship program, I will go to Ghana on 1st May 2018 and am expecting to finish my fellowship at the end of May 2018. I will have a final report concerning my fellowship project by August 2018, hence I will present the results of my visit to the World Cancer Congress in October 2018. I will also share my skills and knowledge obtained during my fellowship program in Ghana to my home institution and other cancer care hospitals in Tanzania through regular conference meetings, Continuous Medical Education (CME) sessions and during my daily clinical practice while supervising postgraduate students pursuing masters of medicine in clinical oncology. After data analysis, I expect my results will show better treatment outcome with minimal early treatment side effects in 3D than 2D radiotherapy planning and treatment techniques. Conclusion: This training will significantly improve patient's treatment outcomes, care and quality of life due to minimum tissue damage after 3D conformal radiotherapy with intensity modulated radiation.
A comparative study on early treatment outcome and adverse drug reaction profile of two protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral regimens in human immunodeficiency virus patients at a tertiary care teaching hospital, Rajasthan