ESTRO 31 and the World Congress of Brachytherapy to take place from May 9-13

An invitation to Europe's largest forum on radiation oncology from ESTRO (the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology)

The 31st ESTRO conference and the World Congress of Brachytherapy

CCIB, Rambla Prim 1-17, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
www.ccib.es
Wednesday 9 - Sunday 13 May 2012

What are these conferences?

ESTRO 31 and the World Congress of Brachytherapy will combine to feature new research results in clinical and basic radiobiology, physics and brachytherapy, presented by top doctors and scientists from all over the world working together for the benefit of cancer patients.

The two conferences, which will run in parallel, are expected to attract 6000 delegates from around 50 countries.

Here is a sample of the new results to be announced at the conferences (embargoed to time of their presentation at ESTRO 31/WBC):

• Stem cell sparing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer may avoid salivary gland damage and improve quality of life for 500,000 patients worldwide
• How does being positive or negative for the human papilloma virus affect the response to radiotherapy alone by patients with oropharyngeal (throat) cancer?
• 3-D image guided brachytherapy: does it help to avoid hysterectomies in cervical cancer patients?
• Researchers discover cheap and simple way of overcoming poor response to radiotherapy in head and neck cancer
• Can highly targeted irradiation be as good as whole breast radiotherapy in early stage cancer?
• Cancer in the elderly: research fails to keep up with demographic change
• Breathing during radiotherapy - how to hit the treatment target without causing collateral damage

There will be a press conference in Spanish on Thursday at 11.45