TY - JOUR
T1 - Taking Guatemala From Cobalt to IMRT
T2 - A Tale of US Agency Collaboration With Academic Institutions and Industry
AU - Velarde, Angel
AU - Najera, Kirk Douglas
AU - Gay, Hiram
AU - Powderly, William G.
AU - Mutic, Sasa
AU - Green, Jonathan
AU - Michalski, Jeff M.
AU - Henke, Lauren
AU - de Falla, Vicky
AU - Laugeman, Eric
AU - Catu, Marcos
AU - Hugo, Geoffrey D.
AU - Cai, Bin
AU - van Rheenen, Jacaranda
N1 - Funding Information:
Disclosures: H.G. reports grants from Philips and other from Celgene and Pfizer outside of the submitted work. S.M. reports grants, personal fees, and other from Varian Medical Systems and other from Radialogica and TreatSafely during the conduct of the study, as well as grants, personal fees, and other from Varian Medical Systems outside of the submitted work. J.M.M. reports grants from Varian Medical Systems and personal fees from Augmenix, Inc and Boston Scientific Corporation outside of the submitted work. L.H. reports grants and other from Varian Medical Systems and personal fees from ViewRay outside of the submitted work. E.L. reports grants from Varian Medical Systems during the conduct of the study. G.D.H. reports grants from Varian Medical Systems during the conduct of the study, as well as grants from Varian Medical Systems, Siemens, and Viewray and personal fees from Varian Medical Systems outside of the submitted work. B.C. reports grants from Varian Medical System during the conduct of the study and grants from Varian Medical System outside of the submitted work.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by United States Agency for International , Democracy-American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (grant no. AID-ASHA-G-17-00006 ) and Varian Medical Systems .
Funding Information:
This work was supported by United States Agency for International, Democracy-American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (grant no. AID-ASHA-G-17-00006) and Varian Medical Systems.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
PY - 2020/8/1
Y1 - 2020/8/1
N2 - The not-for-profit organization La LIGA Nacional Contra el Cáncer, with its hospital Instituto de Cancerología (INCAN), is responsible for cancer treatment of much of the indigent population in Guatemala, a country with a population of 16 million. Annually, approximately 70% of patients at INCAN are seen in late stages of cancer, which places a great strain on the hospital's limited resources. Private clinics account for 75% of radiation therapy centers in Guatemala and have considerable resources. However, private facilities are fee-based, which creates a barrier for low-income patients; this is an especially significant problem in Guatemala, which has the highest income inequalities and poverty rates in Latin America. This article describes a project on the transition from cobalt to a Halcyon radiation therapy system at INCAN through a partnership with the US Agency for International Development's Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA), Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), industry partner Varian Medical Systems, and the US National Nuclear Security Administration to provide access to state-of-the-art radiation therapy technology while increasing the overall treatment capacity for the underserved population of Guatemala.
AB - The not-for-profit organization La LIGA Nacional Contra el Cáncer, with its hospital Instituto de Cancerología (INCAN), is responsible for cancer treatment of much of the indigent population in Guatemala, a country with a population of 16 million. Annually, approximately 70% of patients at INCAN are seen in late stages of cancer, which places a great strain on the hospital's limited resources. Private clinics account for 75% of radiation therapy centers in Guatemala and have considerable resources. However, private facilities are fee-based, which creates a barrier for low-income patients; this is an especially significant problem in Guatemala, which has the highest income inequalities and poverty rates in Latin America. This article describes a project on the transition from cobalt to a Halcyon radiation therapy system at INCAN through a partnership with the US Agency for International Development's Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA), Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), industry partner Varian Medical Systems, and the US National Nuclear Security Administration to provide access to state-of-the-art radiation therapy technology while increasing the overall treatment capacity for the underserved population of Guatemala.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.04.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.04.001
M3 - Editorial
C2 - 32698977
AN - SCOPUS:85087768257
SN - 0360-3016
VL - 107
SP - 867
EP - 872
JO - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
JF - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
IS - 5
ER -