This marks the initiation of the prospective data collection on children treated with modern radiotherapy modalities in the project
The national centre is located at Aarhus University Hospital and has special facilities dedicated for children and families undergoing proton beam radiotherapy. (Photo: The Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, Aarhus Denmark)
The first paediatric cancer patient has now been included in the HARMONIC protocol in Denmark. This marks the initiation of the prospective data collection on children treated with modern radiotherapy modalities in the project.
HARMONIC will build two European cohorts of paediatric populations during the five-year project to investigate cancer and noncancer outcomes upon medical exposure to radiation. Data from the cohort of paediatric cancer patients will help investigate whether these children develop any endocrine, cardiovascular or neurovascular problems or any secondary cancers later in life. HARMONIC researchers will also evaluate the long-term quality of life of these paediatric patients.
“Thanks to a great collaboration between the participating institutions, we are very happy to see the first patient included in the protocol in Denmark. We are looking forward to following the results,” says Senior Consultant Yasmin Lassen, Aarhus University Hospital and Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, national investigator and one of the coordinators on neurovascular damages in HARMONIC.
Overall, HARMONIC aims to better understand the effect of exposure to radiation in young patients that are treated for cancer or for cardiac defects. The results of the project should help optimise treatment plans in these young patients and reduce the risk of late toxicities.