Radiation Oncology

The group’s clinical research focuses on optimizing radiotherapy through improved fractionation schedules, advanced respiratory motion management, molecular imaging-based planning, and combinations with novel systemic therapies for primary and oligometastatic disease. The group collaborates internationally to identify predictors of response and toxicity, including in the context of immunotherapy.

Within the ERA-PerMed program, the group develops Digital Human Avatars integrating clinical, genomic, and imaging data for lung cancer prediction. Research activity also includes methodologies for clinical audits in radiotherapy, a project on TBI-VMAT models in rats, and gold nanoparticle-cisplatin nanosystems as radiosensitizers in head and neck tumor models.

Main lines of research

• European project for the development of a predictive model for lung cancer patients using omics-based variables integrating established clinical factors with others derived from big data analysis and advanced imaging features to create digital human avatars. (Farre Bernado, Nuria).
• Clinical audits in radiotherapy: training for auditors and auditees. (Sancho Pardo, Gemma).
• Gold nanoparticles to enhance the synergy between radiotherapy and chemotherapy. (Balart Serra, Josep).
• SBRT (stereotactic body radiotherapy) in primary tumors (lung, pancreas, prostate) and ablative treatment of metastases in oligometastatic patients, with planning based on metabolic imaging and application of respiratory motion control techniques such as image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) or surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT). (Sancho Pardo, Gemma; Farre Bernado, Nuria; Balart Serra, Josep; Isern Verdum, Josep).
• VMAT-TBI as part of conditioning in hematopoietic progenitor transplantation. (Sancho Pardo, Gemma; Vila Capel, Antoni).
• Predictive factors of response to radiotherapy in head and neck tumors. (Montezuma Niño, Laura Constanza).
• Irradiation of large-volume sarcomas using the Lattice technique. (Majercakova, Katarina; Isern Verdum, Josep).
• Surface-guided radiotherapy with respiratory motion control techniques in SBRT. (Balart Serra, Josep; Farre Bernado, Nuria).
• Development and training of an autosegmentation system for the definition of organs at risk and irradiation volumes. (Julia Sanahuja, Joan Carles).
• Impact of peer-review sessions incorporated into clinical practice on clinical outcomes. (Rojas Cordero, Jady Vivian; Sancho Pardo, Gemma).
• Adaptation of radiotherapy schedules in geriatric oncology. (Soto Cambres, Ana Maria; Mera Errasti, Maria Arantzazu; Sancho Pardo, Gemma).
• Total body irradiation and SBRT in rats using modern medical devices. (Balart Serra, Josep; Sancho Pardo, Gemma).

Scientific Challenges

• Clinical impact of ablative radiotherapy for oligometastases.
• Use of artificial intelligence to identify predictors of response and toxicity to radiotherapy in lung and prostate cancer.
• Incorporation of deep-learning autosegmentation into clinical practice.
• Changes in radiotherapy dose and fractionation in elderly patients.
• Expansion of the use of SGRT with respiratory motion control techniques in SBRT and for intrafraction motion control during VMAT-TBI.
• Use of clinical devices to perform experimental irradiation in rats.
• Use of nanoparticles to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy.

Contact

Gemma Sancho
gsancho@santpau.cat