Prestigious Donal Hollywood Award for Prof. Piet Ost!

Radiation oncologist Prof. Piet Ost is the first Belgian ever to receive the Donal Hollywood Award for the best research abstract at the European Congress of Radiotherapy (ESTRO) in Glasgow. His research focuses on the improvement of radiation treatment for prostate cancer metastases. 

The jury's selection criteria include clarity, supporting data, scientific rigor, potential importance, innovation and interdisciplinarity. Professor Piet Ost is proud of the prestigious recognition:

“On a personal level, it is a testament to the hard work and dedication we have put into this trial. Professionally, it motivates me to continue to strive for excellence and push the boundaries in my field. It shows the impact you can have on others and how important it is to leave a legacy of innovation and inspiration.”
 

Some of the patients with prostate cancer relapse in the pelvic glands. Until recently, it was unclear what the best approach was to treat such a relapse. In the STORM trial (a clinicial trial in collaboration with more than 20 centers around the world), researchers from Ghent University have now compared limited targeted irradiation of a metastasis in the pelvic nodes with broader irradiation. With the short, targeted approach, only the limited node recurrence is irradiated in 3 sessions. With the longer treatment of 25 sessions, preventive radiation is performed on all pelvic glands.

After 3 years of follow-up, it turned out that the longer treatment was clearly better with less chance of a new recurrence. The side effects of both types of treatment were limited and comparable.

The research took place in several centers in Belgium and abroad and was supported by Kom op tegen Kanker, Movember (Switzerland) and the Foundation against Cancer.

Read the full interview with Professor Piet Ost in which he explains what this award means to him and what his research entails. 

This text was based on the press release by Ghent University.