Main Session
Sep
29
PQA 06 - Genitourinary Cancer, Gynecological Cancer, and Health Care Access and Engagement
3703 - Redefining Pediatric Radiation Oncology Training in Resource-Constrained Settings: The PedROC Virtual Education Model
Presenter(s)
Adedayo Joseph, MD - Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Lagos
A. O. Joseph; Medserve - Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
Purpose/Objective(s):
Global survival disparities in pediatric cancer are driven in part by limited access to trained pediatric radiation oncology personnel. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces a critical shortage of radiation oncologists with pediatric-specific expertise, compounded by limited fellowship opportunities, geographic distance, and high costs of overseas training. The Pediatric Radiation Oncology Course (PedROC) is a structured, virtual training platform designed to strengthen pediatric radiation competence in resource-constrained settings. This report documents the scale, reach, and evolution of PedROC from 2021 to 2025.Materials/Methods:
PedROC is delivered as modular live virtual educational sessions, incorporating disease-specific didactics, case-based contouring, treatment planning, and multidisciplinary management tailored to LMIC environments. Programmatic data from 2021–2025 were analyzed, including registration records, attendance logs, session themes, participant professional categories, and geographic distribution. Outcomes assessed were participant volume, attendance conversion rates, and global representation.Results:
The pilot program PedROC 1.0 (2021) launched as a 2-day foundational pediatric radiotherapy curriculum, covering epidemiology, diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy principles, target volume delineation, treatment planning, and multidisciplinary care. The course engaged 257 attendees from 262 registered participants from 15 countries (14 African, 1 South American). PedROC 2.0 (2023) focused on Wilms tumor and integration of pediatric radiotherapy into general oncology practice, expanding to 404 registrants (273 attendees) from 41 countries across four continents. PedROC 3.0 (2024) broadened the scope to include nursing integration and survivorship considerations in pediatric radiotherapy, with 503 registrants and 347 attendees from over 25 countries. PedROC 4.0 (2024) focused on psychosocial and child-life components relevant to pediatric radiation practice, engaging 460 registrants (167 attendees) from 50 countries. The PedROC September Series (2025) explored a weekly longitudinal format covering pediatric abdominal tumors, CNS tumors and craniospinal irradiation, and emerging techniques; 336 of 538 registrants attended =1 session, representing 56 countries across five continents. PedROC 5.0 (October 2025), focused on pediatric palliative care integration, and engaged 131 attendees from 53 countries. Over five years, PedROC has engaged participants from 56 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Technical radiotherapy-focused content consistently generated higher attendance density than broader interdisciplinary modules.Conclusion:
PedROC demonstrates the feasibility of a scalable, virtual pediatric radiation. Virtual, structured radiation oncology education may represent a pragmatic strategy to mitigate pediatric radiotherapy workforce gaps in LMICs.