Fighting Cancer With Beams: Uganda's Journey in Radiation Therapy

In Uganda, the journey of radiation therapy has been one with ups and downs. In the late 1980's, the first step was to introduce radiation treatment units. This was the start of something big in Uganda. These units were used to figure out the best radiation doses for patients. At the same time, the first radiation doctors and medical physicists began to work in the country. This was a big deal because it meant that cancer treatments could be more precise and effective. More importantly, it meant that patients could spend less time in the hospital. Later, the Uganda Cancer Institute got a boost from the International Atomic Energy Agency. This support allowed for the purchase of new equipment and training for more professionals. As a result Uganda had better tools and more skilled staff. This led to increased use of more advanced techniques. These techniques included high-dose-rate brachytherapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, and even artificial intelligence. As a result of these changes, more people with cancer can now be treated every year. The first two decades of radiotherapy services saw about 600 new patients treated each year. Now, that number has surged to 2, 600 patients annually. More treatments can be done in a shorter amount of time. Now, Uganda does 1, 440 brachytherapy insertions a year. That is a lot more than the 300 insertions that were done in the first 20 years. However, there are still lots of challenges in the way of delivering quality radiation therapy. Equipment is still limited, and there is a need for more knowledge in different areas. This includes how to segment tumors and organs at risk, as well as treatment planning and protocols. Despite these obstacles , things are looking up. The government is working on spreading out radiotherapy services to different regions. Another positive sign is the use of image-guided techniques. These techniques have increased to 51% of all treatments. This includes IMRT, VMAT, and three-dimensional conformal radiation treatment. This is a big deal because it shows that more people can get the treatments they need. So, with more help from international partners and more progress, Uganda's fight against cancer is looking more promising.