[Paediatric radiation oncology in France: state of the art]

Abstract

Paediatric radiotherapy differs greatly from its practice in adults mainly because of the age (median age 6 years), which poses the problem of irradiation of healthy tissues in a growing organism, causing sequelae, difficult compliance and management of parents. These particularities require a dedicated education and specific organisation that was set progressively concerning indications, quality control, exhaustive collection of native dosimetry, long-term follow-up and clinical and translational research, as well as accreditations to practice paediatric radiotherapy, in close collaboration with the French society of child and adolescent cancer and leukaemia (SFCE), under the aegis of the French group of paediatric radiotherapy (GFRP). This organization is a pioneer in the development of pediatric radiotherapy quality controls, which are becoming the European standard and in the collection of native dosimetry integrated with the follow-up of possible late-effects, constituting the most important international database.

Keywords: France; GFRP; Organisation; Paediatric; Pédiatrie; Radiation oncology; Radiothérapie.