Radiation Oncology/System Down

System Down or Network Down due to Natural Disasters or Cyberattacks

• ASCO Policy Statement, 2024 PMID 38011607 -- "Climate Change and Cancer Care: A Policy Statement From ASCO", (Bernicker E, JCO Oncol Pract. 2024 Feb;20(2):178-186. doi: 10.1200/OP.23.00637. Epub 2023 Nov 27.)
  • Introduction: Overview of Climate Change and Impact on Cancer Care. Extreme Weather Events and Cancer Care. Climate Change and Cancer Risk. Climate Change and Health Equity. Oncology Impact on Climate Change. Impact of Professional Meetings on Climate Change
  • Future Directions: Improving Cancer Care Delivery and Resilience. Improving Meetings and Conferences. Health Care Policy. The Role of ASCO and Other Professional Societies

• New York University, 2013 Abstract Link -- "The Impact of Superstorm Sandy on the Care of Radiation Oncology Patients" (Grew D, et al, International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, VOLUME 87, ISSUE 2, SUPPLEMENT , S490-S491, OCTOBER 01, 2013)
  • Experience during Supoerstorm Sandy, October 29, 2012. Department flooded. One linac, one tomotherapy, CT simulator, SRS system and HDR suite destroyed. Power lost for 5 days. 117 patients on treatment prior Sandy. Radiation not delivered for 6 days, prolonging median duration by 14 days (per PMID 38011607)
  • Outcome: Almost all patients had to be resimulated and replanned, as immobilization devices were destroeyd. 16 patients received additional RT (median = 2 fractions, range 1-5) to correct for treatment breast.
  • Conclusion: Impact of Superstorm Sandy evaluated