Fox Chase Cancer Center (HDR GYN and HDR Prostate)

Our Facility: 

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is part of an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and consists of four sites: Fox Chase Cancer Center Main, Temple University Hospital Main, FCCC Buckingham and FCCC East Norriton. The department houses 12 linear accelerators including a 45 MV racetrack microtron, and multiple radiosurgical and SBRT platforms. We are in the process of installing 6 new linacs with novel capabilities including adaptive radiation therapy and frameless cobalt-60 radiosurgery. Our faculty of 14 radiation oncologists and 10 PhD medical physicists are pioneers in novel and procedural-based radiotherapy, including pulsed low-dose radiation, radio-dynamic therapy, and we are proud of our storied history in brachytherapy which dates back to the early 1990s. We currently have two HDR brachytherapy suites, one each at FCCC Main Campus and at TUH Main Campus. The suite at FCCC Main is general anesthesia capable and the location for all the prostate implants within the system. Two additional HDR suites will be added in the next year, a secondary HDR suite at FCCC main campus primarily dedicated to Gyn Brachytherapy and a community site HDR suite at FCCC East Norriton. In total, the department treats almost 3500 patients per year and has long hosted both a radiation oncology and medical physics residencies.  We are exceptionally well-positioned and eager to train modern specialists in brachytherapy. 

Fellowship Description:

During this robust two-month fellowship trainees will learn both standard and more complex brachytherapy techniques. The majority of cases will consist of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for prostate and gynecological cancer although there are opportunities for experience in sarcoma and LDR GI cases. Trainees will receive dedicated hands-on training to be able to perform a wide variety of procedures. Instruction will be tailored to the trainees’ prior experience level and interests.

The trainees will have the opportunity to interact with our brachytherapists, physics staff, and colleagues from allied disciplines such as urologic oncology, gynecologic oncology, and medical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center. The trainee will work with and be supervised by site-specific experts in a multidisciplinary manner, and learn to integrate the use of brachytherapy with other treatment modalities to provide optimal care for cancer patients.  

Case Volume:

HDR is the primary brachytherapy modality within the department. We currently perform about 400 HDR implants per year.  About 250 per year are prostate implants, and the rest are mostly gyn cancers and some sarcoma cases.  The only LDR implants we perform use the CivaSheet, typically for GI cancers. We expect case numbers to increase with the opening of the additional HDR suites at FCCC Main and East Norriton campus.

Resident Expectations and Learning Objectives:

The trainee will be expected to demonstrate the following skills and competencies as related to brachytherapy

• Patient Care
  • Trainees must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of cancer patients and the promotion of health
• Medical Knowledge
  • Trainees must be able to understand basic principles and current guidelines for the use of brachytherapy in various cancer sites, as well as an integrated adequate knowledge of the clinical, technical, and biomedical knowledge pertaining to the care of patients with brachytherapy 
• Practice Based Learning
  • Trainees will learn to observe and plan their own HDR brachytherapy cases as well as manage oncologic and treatment-related side effects in patients receiving brachytherapy
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills.
  • Trainees must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals
• Professionalism.
  • Trainees must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles
• Systems-Based Practice.
  • Trainees must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care
• Scholarly Activities
  • Trainees have the opportunity to participate in brachytherapy-related research during their fellowship. All research projects must be approved by the supervising attending.  Rigorous research standards are expected, allowing for manuscripts suitable for submission to peer-reviewed scientific journals

ABS Fellowship Application: Fox Chase Cancer Center, HDR GYN and HDR Prostate

Accepting Applications