Expanding Global Radiotherapy Access via Telemedicine

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Informatics
• Global Health

Background:

• Cancer is a leading global cause of death, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries.
• Radiotherapy is a critical cancer treatment, yet access is inequitable worldwide.
• Tele-radiotherapy presents an opportunity to bridge these access gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential applications of tele-radiotherapy in expanding access to high-quality cancer treatment.
• To highlight the benefits and challenges of implementing tele-radiotherapy in developing countries.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
• Keywords included "telemedicine," "radiotherapy," "telehealth," "remote monitoring," "oncology," and "remote training."

Main Results:

• Telemedicine applications in radiotherapy include virtual training, remote consultations, patient follow-up, treatment planning, and peer-review.
• These applications can improve skills, efficiency, and equitable access to expertise and clinical trials.
• Identified barriers include infrastructure, data security, regulatory issues, cost, and provider/patient resistance.

Conclusions:

• Tele-radiotherapy holds significant promise for improving global radiotherapy access and addressing inequities.
• Realizing the full benefits in low- and middle-income countries necessitates overcoming identified implementation challenges.