July 3, 2019
The 13th PROS Annual Convention was held on March 26-28, 2019 at Novotel Manila Araneta Center in scientific collaboration with the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) with a theme on “Palliative Care and Radiotherapy.”
There were a total of 237 participants with 125 radiation oncologists, 52 medical physicists, 31 RTTs, 13 nurses and 16 international delegates. Majority of them were from Indonesia (10), two from Singapore and one each from Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and South Africa.
Dr. Dennis Doromal, the immediate past president, led the National Anthem and Invocation followed by his opening remarks. Dr. Peter Hoskin of Mount Vernon Hospital in UK, the course director, welcomed the delegates and gave the first lecture on Principles of Pharmacology in Cancer Pain. The second lecture entitled Evaluation of Pain and Quality of Life was given by Dr. Yvette van der Linden, the co-course director. The succeeding lectures were given by Dr. Johan Menten and Dr. Joanna Kazmierska, while the last one was given by a local speaker, Dr. Cicero Matthew Habito, an Interventional Radiologist. The first day session was capped off with interactive case discussions wherein the participants were divided into three groups with topics on bone pain, other palliative symptoms (i.e. obstruction) and pain management.
Day 2 started with lectures by Dr. Nicolaus Andratschke on topics Oligometastases and Principles of SBRT and Management of Solitary Brain Metastases, respectively. Dr Hoskin followed discussing Management of Multiple Brain Metastasis. Another breakout sessions were held with three case studies on palliative management for disease in the central nervous system (brain and spine) and treatment of oligometastases. The afternoon session composed a couple of lectures by Dr. van der Linden and by Dr. Andratschke followed by a group case discussion focusing on re-irradiation and the role of brachytherapy in palliation.
Fellowship night then followed with a “Fiesta” theme wherein residents from eight (8) training hospitals represented different tribal groups in the Philippines by wearing costumes. Both faculty and some participants enjoyed the Filipino food spread and live music band.
Day 3 had a few more lectures by Dr. Hoskin’s and Dr. Kazmierska’s on thoracic site. Dr. van der Linden thereafter talked about the Practical Application, Logistics and Research Data in Palliation followed by Dr. Menten’s discussion on Care of the Dying and Euthanasia. Two local speakers were invited to discuss Orthopedic Management and Operative Interventions for Metastatic Bone Disease by Dr. Rafael Bundoc and Optimizing Quality Life after Palliative Radiotherapy Through Integration of Palliative Care in Different Settings by Dr. Maria Fidelis Manalo.
Dr. Hoskin closed the convention with a concise summary of palliative management.
