FAST Trial – FASTer
radiotherapy for breast cancer patients
Prospective randomised clinical
trial testing 5.7 Gy and 6.0 Gy fractions of whole breast radiotherapy
in terms of late normal tissue
responses and tumour control
Control arm: 50.0 Gy in 25 fractions
of 2.0 Gy over 35 days
Test arm 1: 30.0 Gy in 5 fractions of 6.0 Gy over 35 days
Test arm 2: 28.5 Gy in 5 fractions of 5.7 Gy over 35 days
In this
multi-centre randomised trial, the quality assurance (QA) programme will enable
confirmation that technical guidelines within the protocol have been understood
and implemented correctly by participants and that the dose prescription is
delivered according to protocol together with appropriate documentation of
technique and patient related data.
Before
any patient from a centre can be entered into the trial, the following is
required:
1)
Completion of
the
National QA for Clinical trials Baseline questionnaire if this has not
already been completed
2)
Completion of
the FAST QA questionnaire
A
visit by the QA team, or a series of software tests to be performed on the
planning system before a centre enters the study, this is to validate dosimetry
in centres, which have not already had dosimetry independently verified for the
equipment currently being used.
All
centres taking part in FAST are encouraged to export data electronically from
their radiotherapy planning systems
The
data from the quality assurance programme will be analysed separately from the
main trial. The participants will be notified of any major discrepancies.
FAST Trial QA team Contact Details:
Karen Venables
& Yat Man Tsang
Address: Marie Curie Research, Mount Vernon
Hospital, Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2RN