It is my privilege and great pleasure to invite you to
the 5th Japan-Taiwan Radiation Oncology Symposium that will take place on May 20, 2017 in Kobe, Japan.

The 1st Japan-Taiwan Radiation Oncology Symposium was organized by Prof Katsuyuki Karasawa in Tokyo in 2013. Since the first symposium, the main topics of this symposium has been high precision radiation therapy. This symposium was supported by Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology (JASTRO) and Taiwan Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (TASTRO), and enhanced the scientific exchange on radiation oncology between Japan and Taiwan. I am especially grateful for all our guests from Taiwan.

The theme of the 5th symposium is “no pain, no gain”, which is my motto. For an example, overall survival rate of chemo-radiotherapy was improved significantly compared with radiation alone. However, acute toxicities were inevitably enhanced. Thus, to obtain therapeutic gain in radiation therapy, patients must endure increased acute toxicities. IMRT and stereotactic radiation therapy were advanced precision radiation methods, which can deliver higher dose to targets and reduced dose to the risk organs. However, there must be various pains of patients or medical staff. I hope we can discuss deeply on the gain and pain of high precision radiation therapy.

May in Japan is the best season for sightseeing. Many friends from Taiwan can enjoy Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto after symposium. I believe this symposium will success, and strengthen the mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Taiwan.

President of the Symposium
Yasumasa Nishimura, MD, PhD
Department of Radiation Oncology,
Kindai University Faculty of Medicine