The IORBC welcomes the RCR’s second edition of their report on the use of radiotherapy for benign conditions in the UK which was published recently.

Although recommendations are largely unchanged from the first edition, they are provided in a useful summary format at the start of the document. The RCR states that whilst the report should not be viewed as a prescriptive list of treatable benign conditions, it should prove a valuable resource for departments to review and develop their protocols.

The scope has been streamlined to focus on the most common benign conditions for which the use of radiotherapy is established as a treatment modality in the UK, and a new chapter on total lymph node irradiation has been added. We at the IORBC suggest that future editions of this document could include the use of radiation in other benign conditions that are in common and effective use in other European countries, for instance the use of very low dose radiotherapy (3-6 Gy total dose) for osteoarthritis and tendinopathy, and the use of grenz rays (10-12kV X-rays) for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions.

The launch of the IORBC was mentioned in the report and our President, Dr Richard Shaffer, was thanked for his input. The IORBC are very pleased that the RCR and other national societies are undertaking this type of review to support the use of this treatment modality and we hope to work with the RCR on their future work in this field.

The report is available online and can be accessed through the link below which will open in a new window.

Recommendations for using radiotherapy for benign disease in the UK