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Demand for radiotherapy in Spain

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Abstract

Aim

Assessing the demand for radiotherapy in Spain based on existing evidence to estimate the human resources and equipment needed so that every person in Spain has access to high-quality radiotherapy when they need it.

Material and methods

We used data from the European Cancer Observatory on the estimated incidence of cancer in Spain in 2012, along with the evidence-based indications for radiotherapy developed by the Australian CCORE project, to obtain an optimal radiotherapy utilisation proportion (OUP) for each tumour.

Results

About 50.5 % of new cancers in Spain require radiotherapy at least once over the course of the disease. Additional demand for these services comes from reradiation therapy and non-melanoma skin cancer. Approximately, 25–30 % of cancer patients with an indication for radiotherapy do not receive it due to factors that include access, patient preference, familiarity with the treatment among physicians, and especially resource shortages, all of which contribute to its underutilisation.

Conclusions

Radiotherapy is underused in Spain. The increasing incidence of cancer expected over the next decade and the greater frequency of reradiations necessitate the incorporation of radiotherapy demand into need-based calculations for cancer services planning.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Ruber Internacional, C/La Masó 38, 28034, Madrid, Spain

    A. Rodríguez

  2. Universidad de Barcelona, IDIBELL, Gran Vía de L′Hospitalet 199, Hospitalet del Llobregat, 08908, Barcelona, Spain

    J. M. Borrás

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, ERESA Hospital General Universitario, Calle de la Casa Misericordia 12, 46014, Valencia, Spain

    J. López-Torrecilla

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital de la Esperanza, Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain

    M. Algara

  5. Universitat Pompeu Fabra, San José de la Montaña 12, 08024, Barcelona, Spain

    M. Algara

  6. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, 14004, Córdoba, Spain

    A. Palacios-Eito

  7. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Santiago de Compostela, Travesia de Choupana s/n, 15706, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, Spain

    A. Gómez-Caamaño

  8. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), Avenida de Roma s/n, 33011, Oviedo, Spain

    L. Olay

  9. Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Universitario Dr Negrín, Barranco de la Ballena s/n, 35010, Las Palmas, Spain

    P. C. Lara

  10. Clinical Oncology, Universidad de Las Palmas, Las Palmas, Spain

    P. C. Lara

Authors
  1. A. Rodríguez
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  2. J. M. Borrás
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  3. J. López-Torrecilla
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  4. M. Algara
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  5. A. Palacios-Eito
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  6. A. Gómez-Caamaño
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  7. L. Olay
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  8. P. C. Lara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Rodríguez.

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All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Cite this article

Rodríguez, A., Borrás, J.M., López-Torrecilla, J. et al. Demand for radiotherapy in Spain. Clin Transl Oncol 19, 204–210 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-016-1525-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-016-1525-x

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