International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO-4)

Background

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is organizing the fourth International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO-4), following the successes of the first, second and third conferences (ICARO-1, ICARO-2, and ICARO-3), which were held in 2009, 2017 and 2021. The advances in radiotherapy in the last years have been striking, although numerous challenges remain, including achieving access to high standard cancer care in many countries. New radiotherapy techniques have been implemented, including stereotactic radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, image guided and motion management, magnetic resonance imaging-guided linear accelerator Linacs, three-dimensional conformal brachytherapy, proton and light ion therapy. The increased use of these complex techniques, coupled with the need to treat more patients in less time, will continue to drive a reliance on high-end technologies and impose a financial burden on health care programmes. In addition, the development and implementation of quality assurance programmes for these new techniques pose major challenges in Member States.

The conference will give health care professionals an opportunity to review the current developments in clinical applications in the fields of radiation oncology, radiation biology and medical physics, with a view to addressing the challenges of appropriate cancer management in Member States.

It will also critically examine the pivotal role of emerging radiotherapy techniques in tackling the health challenges common to many Member States.

An appropriate number of accredited continuing medical education (CME) credits will be awarded to participants.

Purpose and Objectives

The conference will review important clinical, scientific, professional and educational topics covering different aspects of radiotherapy. It will have the following specific objectives:

• To review the current role and potential of clinical, medical physics, technological and molecular/biological innovations in radiation oncology.
• To explore the applications of improved imaging tools in treatment planning.
• To review the current status of evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of common cancers.
• To review the latest developments in medical dosimetry and dose auditing procedures for new radiotherapy technologies.
• To review the present situation of comprehensive audits in radiotherapy.
• To review resource sparing approaches in clinical radiotherapy practices.
• To exchange information on the latest advances and implementation challenges in the field among leading experts.
• To define future challenges and directions in the clinical use of radiotherapy.

Target Audience

This conference will offer the opportunity to review the latest technological, clinical, and biological developments of radiotherapy. The main target audience comprises:

• Radiation oncologists.
• Radiation biologists.
• Medical physicists.
• Radiation therapists.

The Conference would also be of interest to scientists, researchers and bio-medical engineers working in the field of radiotherapy.  

Greening

To demonstrate its commitment to sustainability, the IAEA will organize this conference as a 'green meeting' according to the guidelines of the Austrian Ecolabel.

There will be a focus on the areas of paper smart documentation, waste reduction and recycling, and environmentally friendly catering.

Conference App

The IAEA Conferences and Meetings App provides a one-stop access to information on the Conference, exhibitions and scheduled side events. The app also allows users to put together their own personalized schedule of events. Via this app participants will be able to view contributed papers and the latest conference programme, message other participants, and view PowerPoint presentations released after the event. Participants will receive an email inviting them to register for the app approximately one week before the conference.