Pediatric Radiation Therapy Planning and Treatment
Planning and treating children with radiotherapy requires an understanding of the differences between adult and pediatric cancers and consequences of treatment, an awareness that is not generally taught in any great depth to the physics and treatment team. This talk will discuss the treatment planning challenges and considerations for pediatric patients.

After completing this activity, the learner will be able to:

1. Improve understanding about childhood cancer and treatment with radiation
2. Understand treatment planning and delivery issues specific to children
3. Become aware of specific treatment methods for the most challenging pediatric cancers   
4. Know the current status of state-of-the-art treatment techniques for pediatric radiation therapy

Presenter:
Arthur J. Olch is Professor of Radiation Oncology and Clinical Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. He is also Chief of Physics for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles Radiation Oncology Program, one of only a few radiotherapy centers in the US that treat exclusively children. Dr. Olch received his BS degree in Engineering and his PhD in Medical Physics from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a Fellow of the American Association of Physics in Medicine (AAPM). Dr. Olch has served as the Chair of the Physics Subcommittee of the Children’s Oncology Group Radiation Oncology Committee and of the AAPM Subcommittee on Quality Assurance and Outcome Improvement as well as serving as chair or member of various AAPM Task Groups. He has been a radiation therapy physicist for over 30 years and has authored or co-authored over 60 journal articles and book chapters.