# Teleradiotherapy Network: Applications and Feasibility for Providing Cost-Effective Comprehensive Radiotherapy Care in Low- and Middle-Income Group Countries for Cancer Patients

## TL;DR

Teleradiotherapy networks can help provide affordable and accessible cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries by sharing resources and facilities.

## Contribution

The paper proposes a three-tier teleradiotherapy network model to improve radiotherapy access in low- and middle-income countries.

## Key findings

- 55 out of 139 low- and middle-income countries lack any radiotherapy facilities.
- A teleradiotherapy network could reduce the need for expensive new infrastructure by sharing existing resources.
- The model could be implemented as a cost-effective solution to address the radiotherapy deficit.

## Abstract

Globally, new cancer cases will rise by 57% within the next two decades, with the majority in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Consequently, a steep increase of about 40% in cancer deaths is expected there, mainly because of lack of treatment facilities, especially radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is required for more than 50% of patients, but the capital cost for equipment often deters establishment of such facilities in LMICs. Presently, of the 139 LMICs, 55 do not even have a radiotherapy facility, whereas the remaining 84 have a deficit of 61.4% of their required radiotherapy units. Networking between centers could enhance the effectiveness and reach of existing radiotherapy in LMICs. A teleradiotherapy network could enable centers to share and optimally utilize their resources, both infrastructure and staffing. This could be in the form of a three-tier radiotherapy service consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary radiotherapy centers interlinked through a network. The concept has been adopted in some LMICs and could also be used as a “service provider model,” thereby reducing the investments to set up such a network. Teleradiotherapy networks could be a part of the multipronged approach to address the enormous gap in radiotherapy services in a cost-effective manner and to support better accessibility to radiotherapy facilities, especially for LMICs.