Dr. David Skarsgard
Division Head

Welcome to the Division of Radiation Oncology. Our division currently includes 17 radiation oncologists (15 FTE), all of whom have clinical appointments within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary. We also have active staff appointments with Alberta Health Services. We provide radiation services to the majority of the population of Southern Alberta. We are located at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, where all radiation treatment is delivered. Some outpatient activities also take place at the Holy Cross Centre near downtown Calgary. Inpatients under our care are admitted to Foothills Medical Centre, which adjoins the Tom Baker.

Cancer is a leading cause of illness and death in our society. Radiation therapy plays a significant role in relieving suffering, prolonging survival, and in many cases, curing the disease. To achieve this, we have a full complement of modern equipment which includes 9 linear accelerators, four of which have kV and cone-beam CT imaging capabilities, and Eclipse and Brainlab treatment planning software. We provide state of the art treatments including Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Image-guided RT (IGRT) and low-dose rate and high-dose rate brachytherapy. We have taken measures to improve access for patients who need our services most urgently. We run clinics several times per week at which patients with incurable cancer undergo assessment, treatment planning and then treatment, all on a single visit. Our Fast Track Bone Metastases clinic is nationally renowned and has become a model for other centres.

Strategic Plan
The first priority of our division is to provide exceptional patient care, including treatment that is on par with what is available anywhere else in the world. Essential to providing this in an academic setting are strong research and education programs. We expect our ability to expand further into these areas will increase as some clinical workload is absorbed by planned RT facilities in smaller centres including Lethbridge and Red Deer.

Education
We have a well respected residency training program in Radiation Oncology, led by Dr. Theresa Trotter, which is fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. At the end of their training, our residents have been highly successful in the Royal College exams, and in securing fellowship and staff positions afterward. We also have an active fellowship program under the direction of Dr. Harold Lau. Canadian as well as international radiation oncologists have had fellowship experiences in areas which include stereotactic radiosurgery, image guided RT, brachytherapy, palliative RT and translational research. Our division is highly committed to teaching. We are pleased to provide observerships and elective experiences of any length at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Research
We have organized our research programs along 3 broad streams, including the following:

• Translational research, with current activity focusing largely on gynecologic, head and neck and gastrointestinal cancers.
• Investigation of new technologies, including brachytherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, IMRT and IGRT.
• Population and outcome studies; including access to cancer services.

In addition, we are active participants in several cooperative clinical trial groups including the RTOG, NCIC, and Children's Oncology Group.

Other
As we move further into the 21st century, the future is bright for our specialty, and we believe especially for the Division of Radiation Oncology at the University of Calgary. We encourage you to consider sharing that future with us.