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Statement from Brian Lara Cancer Treatment
Centre (BLCTC) to its Patients and the Public of Trinidad and Tobago
1. BLCTC
has a state-of-the-art Varian linear accelerator which is the most
sophisticated one of its kind in Trinidad and Tobago.
2.
The staff at BLCTC, inclusive of 2 radiation
oncologists; 3 physicists and dosimetrists; and 5 radiation therapists,
are all highly qualified and are the most experienced in all aspects of
radiotherapy services in Trinidad and Tobago.
3.
BLCTC has treated 750 patients since its
inception in April 2007 and it has a high cure rate of 82% survival of
the patients treated in the past 4 years and 3 months.
4.
BLCTC became aware in June 2010 that,
between June 4, 2009 to June 13,
2010, there was a small miscalibration of the linear accelerator during
this period. International criteria recommends that radiation dose
deviations of more than +/-20% of the prescribed dose be labeled as a misadministration. Consequently,
NO patients treated during this period received a radiation dose
defined as a misadministration.
5.
After a thorough forensic investigation, it
was determined that the maximum possible deviation from the prescribed
dose received by some patients was 13.9% and not as much as is being
cited in some media reports.
6.
As soon as this issue was recognised, BLCTC,
on its own initiative and prior to any PAHO inspections being requested
by the Ministry of Health, had all the necessary investigations performed
by internationally accredited physicists based in the U.S.A., each with
25-35 years experience. The calibrations of the linear accelerator were
adjusted, checked and verified by an external dose calibration
laboratory based in the U.S.A.
7.
BLCTC informed the Ministry of Health of the
misadministration of radiation issue.
8.
The radiation dose volume histograms for all
the patients treated during the material period, were pro-actively
reviewed for any potential toxic radiation effects. NONE were found; We
repeat, NONE were found.
9.
Each of the patients treated were
called/followed-up/seen by a BLCTC radiation oncologist and of those
patients, only 5 patients reported symptoms that may have been
attributable to side effects of radiation.
10.
The PAHO report on the inspection which was
carried out in September 2010 substantiates that the linear accelerator
was found by PAHO officials to be accurately calibrated.
11.
BLCTC was willing to be inspected by the PAHO
officials and was co-operative and entirely accommodating to the PAHO
team and open to responding to questions.
12.
Internationally, the accepted level of
expected radiation side effects in a treatment population is about 10%.
BLCTC’s incidence of side effects in its treated population is less than
3%. BLCTC’s incidence of radiation side effects remains lower than most
international cancer treatment centres and is an exceptionally low rate
for any centre in the world.
13.
In April 2011, PAHO conducted a follow up
assessment and found all to be in perfect order at the BLCTC including
equipment calibration and quality assurance practices. The BLCTC at
this point in time remains the single radiotherapy centre in Trinidad
and Tobago to have been evaluated by PAHO and was shown to have met all
PAHO requirements.
14.
Current policies and procedures for treatment
simulation, treatment planning and equipment quality assurance are
based on international standards of practice.
15.
On July 5, 2011, BLCTC received its monthly
TLD check from Radiation Dosimetry Services, M.D. Anderson Cancer
Centre of Houston, Texas, U.S.A. which confirmed accurate calibration
of all radiation beams of the BLCTC’s linear accelerator are in
perfectly normal range.
16.
Contrary to some inaccurate media reports
there is NO ongoing medico-legal action against the BLCTC.
17.
BLCTC has always encouraged and welcomed
queries from its patients on any issue at any time. BLCTC continues to
be open to patients and the public making enquiries on any issue at
this time.
18.
On this issue, BLCTC wishes to address any
anxiety that patients, physicians or the public may have and encourages
questions from all who have concerns. We regret and apologize for any
inconvenience caused to our patients in having to review this
issue.
19.
Patients and the public should rest assured
that BLCTC pro-actively took decisive action in changing personnel at
BLCTC to address matters of accountability on this issue.
20.
There have been and there are ongoing
conspiratorial attempts to discredit the BLCTC. Consequently, BLCTC
encourages patients and the public to address any concerns that they
may have with inaccurate accounts of this issue with it so that BLCTC
can ensure that its patients and the public have a well-founded ease of
mind.
21.
The only media attempt made prior to July 2011
to elucidate BLCTC's responses to the surrounding events of this issue
was done in July 2010 by an
investigative reporter for one of the daily newspapers. At the end of a
2-hour interview that was very willingly given by the BLCTC, the
reporter commented that she did not think that there was a newsworthy
story to be told and that it seemed as though there were conspiratorial
attempts to destroy the BLCTC surrounding the issue.
22.
BLCTC remains committed to providing the best
quality and standard of care to its patients and to ensuring the safety
of its patients. We have provided that level of service and care in the
past, we continue to do so now and we will remain steadfast in doing so
in the future. We remain committed to serving the public of Trinidad
and Tobago and to curing cancer so that our patients can re-claim their
lives.
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