Josef Hammer

Josef Hammer, MD

Professor, Universitäts-Dozent 

Personal Details

Born: August 9th, 1947, Linz, Austria

Married 
     1972 Eva Stadlbauer, divorced 2008
     2015 Monika Schwarz
Two daughters: 
     1972 Elisabeth, married with Markus Tischelmayer, 
          3 children: Magdalena, Laurenz, Vinzent
     1986 Maria, married with Manuel Höglinger, 
          2 children: Martin, Michael
Military Service: October 1966 - June 1967

Professional Career

  • 1967 – 1973 School of Medicine, University of Vienna, Austria, degree M.D. 
  • 1970 – 1971 Scientific assistant, Institute of Physiology, University of Vienna
  • 1973 – 1983 Full Training in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiology, Ordensklinikum Linz, Austria
  • 1979  Certification for Diagnostic Radiology
  • 1983  Certification for Radiation Oncology/Radiotherapy
  • 1984 – 2012 Head, Department of Radiation Oncology, Ordensklinikum, Linz, Austria
  • 1995 “Venia legendi” Habilitation (Thesis): “HDR Brachytherapy”, degree Univ.-Doz., University of Vienna, Medical School, Austria  

 

1995 Habilitation "venia legendi" (Thesis), 

Medical Faculty, University of Vienna: degree “Universitätsdozent” 

Six top-journal publications about "High Dose Rate Brachytherapy":

  1. Hammer J, Seewald DH:
    Use of HDR Afterloading Method in the Treatment of Breast Cancer. 
    Strahlentherapie und Onkologie 82, 271-274, 1988. 
  2. Hammer J, Hochleitner F, Meindl J, Seewald DH, Track Ch: 
    Kombinierte externe und interstitielle Radiotherapie des Stimmbandkarzinoms. 
    Strahlentherapie und Onkologie 167 (1991), 277-281 (Nr.5). 
  3. Hammer J, Meindl J, Zoidl J, Seewald DH, Track C, Hochleitner F, Labeck W: 
    External and Interstitial Treatment of Cancer of the Vocal Cord. 
    Endocurietherapy/Hyperthermia Oncology Vol. 7, 185-190, 1991.
  4. Hammer J, Zoidl JP, Altendorfer C, Seewald DH, Track Ch, Stummvoll W,   Labeck W: 
    Combined External and Intracavitary Radiotherapy in the Primary Treatment of Cancer of the Uterine Cervix. 
    Radiotherapy and Oncology, 27, 66-68, 1993.
  5. Hammer J, Eckmayr A, Zoidl J.P, Moser G, Seewald DH, Track Ch:
    Salvage fractionated high dose rate afterloading brachytherapy in the treatment of a recurrent tumour in the middle ear.
    The British Journal of Radiology 67, No. 797, 504-506, 1994.
  6. Hammer J, Seewald DH, Track Ch, Zoidl JP, Labeck W:
    Breast cancer: Primary treatment with external-beam radiation therapy and high-dose-rate Iridium implantation. 
    Radiology 193, 573-577, 1994.

 



AWARD LECTURE:  
ESTRO IRIDIUM 192 AWARD 2013  

 

SP-0 100   

From LDR to HDR - a story of success in breast cancer 

J. Hammer

Krankenhaus Barmherzige Schwestern, Radiation Oncology, Linz, Austria  

 

Starting my training at the Barmherzige Schwestern Hospital in Linz, Austria, in 1973 all Radium-LDR applications were performed by the gynecologists. At the Department of Radiation Oncology no brachytherapy was used. My first contact with LDR (low dose rate) wires was in 1978. This was at the Inselspital Bern, Switzerland, with Prof. Dr. Veraguth, precisely in June and July 1978. His specialty was the head & neck region. A year later I spent 3 months at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, primarily at the Section of Experimental Radiotherapy. But I had the opportunity to accompany Prof. Luis Delclos, the brachytherapist at this institution. Applications were limited to the uterus and the vagina using Radium insertions, and to prostate cancer using permanent Gold seed implants. Again a year later I spent 3 months at the University Clinic in Freiburg/Breisgau, Germany, to learn about Iodine seed implantations. Only 2 months later I introduced this method at my hospital in Linz, Austria, in cooperation with our urologists. A year later, in 1982, I attended the brachytherapy course in Leeds, organized by Prof. Dr. Dan Ash. And in the same year I spent several weeks at Prof. Bernard Pierquin’s department in Creteil, France, to be introduced to the LDR wire implantations in breast cancer patients. Immediately we started with this method in Linz.  


In 1980 we changed to a HDR (high dose rate) source, only suited for gynecological tumours and in 1984 to a tiny source suited for interstitial implants. From this time on we performed HDR breast boosts, in the same manner like Dr. Jacobs from Saarbrücken, Germany. The short radiation time of 45 to 60 minutes was a significant advantage compared to up to several days in LDR wire implants. The localization of the tumour bed in the breast was difficult at this time. We could orient ourselves only by means of mammography, surgery reports and the scar. In 1991 we acquired our first treatment planning CT so that we could define the tumour bed precisely and could verify the correct position of the needles, enabling us to correct these positions if necessary. In 1997 we added applications to bronchus, esophagus and anal canal to our routine portfolio, mostly as a boost to external beam treatments. Seldom cases were implants into the lip, cheek, vocal cord, vaginal, rectal and anal recurrences, etc., in part as a boost and in part as a primary treatment. 

At the beginning of the HDR era I was criticized by renowned radiotherapists and radiobiologists. They predicted severe side effects of the implanted tissues and surroundings, in particular the breast, going as far as necrosis of the entire organ. We therefore started to follow up the patients in relative short intervals, resulting in a data set of more than 1000 breast boost patients (1984 to 2008). We noticed no severe side effects. In the course of the years the local recurrence rate dropped, very slowly but steadily. In the first two years we observed some telangiectasia and skin fibroses after needle implants too close to the skin. As a consequence we applied IridiumHDR-implants only in patients with deep seated tumours. Experience showed that the 10 Gy isodose should have a distance of at least 15mm from the skin to spare late side effects. The cosmetic results are excellent and depend on primary tumour size, size of the implant and tumor bed location. 

With increasing numbers of patients in our data set we performed several studies. The results showed a high relevance of the node ratio and the PR negative status. Also tumour location resulted in significant differences in terms of local control and survival. In many breast trials and studies, these factors are not mentioned as negative prognostic factors. 

Brachytherapy provides a wide range of activities in many regions as a primary treatment or as a boost to EBRT in many entities. Together with modern imaging methods highly conformal applications by interventional radiotherapy became possible with the advantage of the application of high curative doses and a relevant reduction of side effects to the surrounding tissues (e.g. in APBI trials).

Research and major clinical interests

  • Low-dose-rate brachytherapy (192-Iridium wires: head and neck, Gold-seeds: prostate, Radium: gynecology, Iodine-seeds: prostate, soft tissue tumors)
  • High-dose-rate brachytherapy afterloading (breast, gynecology, bronchi, esophagus, head&neck, tubes in abdominal recurrences)
  • Breast Radiotherapy
  • Prostate Radiotherapy
  • Volumetric Modulated Arc Radiotherapy (VMAT)
  • Total Body Irradiation (TBI) by VMAT

Postgraduate trainings

  • 1978 July    Medical University Bern, Inselspital, Switzerland: interstitial brachytherapy in   head & neck cancer (Prof. Dr. P. Veraguth, Prof. Dr. R. Greiner)
  • 1979 Apr - July    University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Cancer Center, Houston,  Texas, Division of Radiation Oncology (Prof. Dr. Gilbert H. Fletcher), Experimental  Radiation Oncology Department: Project Investigator: hair and gut experiments in  mice, Prof. Dr. Rodney Withers; Department of Radiation Oncology: brachytherapy in   uterine cancer (Radium) and prostate cancer (Gold seeds),  Prof.  Dr. Luis Delclos 
  • 1980    Ordensklinikum Linz, Department of Gynecology: intra-uterine Radium  applications 
  • 1980 Oct - Dec    Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Dept. of Radiation Oncology: interstitial brachytherapy in prostate cancer, 125 Iodine seed implantations, Prof. Dr. M. Wannenmacher (RO), Prof. Dr. K. Kuphal and Prof. Dr. G. Bruggmoser (Physics), Prof. Dr. H. Sommerkamp (Urology) 
  • 1981 Sep - Oct    Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, Département de Cancérologie, CHU Créteil, France: interstitial brachytherapy in breast cancer, Prof. Dr. B. Pierquin
  • 1982 June    Cookridge Hospital, University of Leeds Medical School, Leeds, England: interstitial brachytherapy, Prof. Dr. Dan V. Ash 
  • 1987 - 1990    Lecturer Medical Faculty, University Innsbruck, Austria 
  • 1989 - 1990    Lecturer Medical Faculty, University Vienna, Austria,
  • 2000    Seattle Prostate Institute, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA: Iodine seed implantations, Prof. J.C. Blasko, Prof. Dr. J.E. Sylvester
  • 2000 Nov    Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: radiotherapy of prostate cancer, Prof. Dr. Gerald Hanks, Prof. Dr. Anthony D’Amico 

Additional Qualifications

  • 1985    Hernstein Management Course, Hernstein Institute for Management and Leadership, Hernstein Castle, Austria 
  • 1988    Betriebswirtschaftslehre für leitende Ärzte, Landesbildungszentrum Schloss Hofen, Vorarlberg, Austria 
  • 1991 – 1992   Management für leitende Spitalsärzte,  Linz, Hohenzell
  • 1994 June  IMRT Training Course, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • 1997 May   SRS training, Radionics Company, Burlington, MA, USA
  • 2002 – 2004   NLP Master, Linz, Austria 
  • 2005 – 2006   Training in Supervision und Coaching, Linz, Austria
  • 2006 – 2007    Forum für Systemische Therapie und Praxis, Linz: „Praxiswerkstätte für Führungskräfte“, (Beobachtung und Kommunikation, Führungsanspruch und –verhalten, Selbstorganisation und Steuerung, Organisation und Entscheidung, Organisationskultur, Management in /von Netzwerken, Konflikte, Prozessreflexion und Abschluss), Mag. Günther Nausner, Linz, Austria
  • 2009 – 2010    Austrian Medical Association Diploma in Concomitant Therapies in Cancer Treatments, Krumbach Castle, Austria
  • 2010    Training for Specialist in Quality Management (TÜV Süd), Linz, Austria
  • 2010    Training for Reviewer for Certifications of Breast Health Centers, ÖZK (Vienna, Austria) und Doc-Cert (St. Gallen, Switzerland), Linz, Austria  


Invited or visiting lecturer at

  • Narodowy Instytut Onkologii im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie, Gliwice, Polska
  • Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Institute, Krakòw, Polska 
  • Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, Ca, USA 
  • General Hospital, Decature, Illinois, USA
  • Launceston Clinical School, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Australia
  • Karol-Marcinkowski Medical University, Poznan, Polska
  • St. Francis Hospital, Peoria, Illinois, USA 
  • University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
  • Service de Radiothérapie-Oncologie, Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, Lyon, France
  • Medical University of Lodz, Department of Radiotherapy, Lodz, Polska

Publications, Presentations, Book chapters & Books

Publications
Poster
Presentations
Book Chapters
Books

Principal organizer for medical events: 

1983  Breast Cancer Symposium Linz 
1986  3rd Annual Meeting ÖGRO, Linz, 
1990 – 2012  biennial „Radiation Oncology Talks Linz“ (Radio-Onkologische Gespräche), Linz 
1992  9th Annual Meeting ÖGRO, Linz 
1993  8th International Brachytherapy Meeting Linz
1994  GEC-ESTRO, Linz 
2001 18th Annual Meeting ÖGS, Gmunden 
2003 19th Annual Meeting ÖGRO, Linz, ESO-D course
2007  5th Joint Brachytherapy Conference ÖGRO/DEGRO/SASRO, Linz, 
2011  The MD Anderson Radiation Oncology / Gilbert H. Fletcher Society - 35th Annual Meeting, June 27 – 28, 2011, Linz, Austria 
Multiple regional talks for clinicians, general practitioners and specialists

Co-organizing functions of regional and international events:

(Scientific committee, chairman, workshops, teaching lectures) 

  • 1984 – 2012  Annual ÖGRO meetings since its foundation 
  • 1987  2nd Annual International High Dose Remote Afterloading Symposium, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
  • 1987  ESTRO Lisbon, Portugal 
  • 1989  International College of Surgeons - Austrian Section, Vienna
  • 1989 - 2003  Annual GEC-ESTRO Meetings 
  • 1990  Teaching Lesson Brachytherapy, ESTRO, Montecatini, Italy
  • 1993, 1997  Alpbacher Radio-Oncology Seminar, Alpbach, Tyrol, Austria
  • 1995, 1998, 2001, 2007   ICRO/ÖGRO, Vienna, Salzburg 
  • 1996  ESTRO  Vienna
  • 1996 - 1912  annual DEGRO meetings, Baden-Baden, Leipzig, Nürnberg, Karlsruhe, Dresden, München, Berlin, Erfurt, Vienna, Wiesbaden 
  • 1997,  9th International Brachytherapy Conference, Boston, MA, USA1997 
  • 1998 – 2007  Joint Brachytherapy Conference ÖGRO/DEGRO/SASRO, biennial from 2001 on, Vienna, Bern, Erlangen, Linz
  • 1999  ECCO 10  Vienna
  • 2001  ICRO  Melbourne
  • 2002  ESTRO  Praha


Professional Memberships

ABS American Brachytherapy Society
AHTG Austrian Hadron Therapy Group, MedAustron
ASTRO American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology 
Austrian Cancer Society - branch Upper Austria
AUSTRON Society for the Promotion of a Spallation Facility in Austria
BVRO Belgische Vereniging voor Radiotherapie-Oncologie
DEGRO Deutsche Gesellschaft für Radio-Onkologie
DKG Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft
ESTRO European Society of Radiation Oncology
EUSOMA European Society of Mastology
MedGesOÖ Medical Association Upper Austria
ÖGMP Österr. Gesellschaft der Medizin-Physiker
ÖGRO Österr. Ges. für Radio-Onkologie
ÖGS Österr. Gesellschaft für Senologie
ÖRG Österr. Röntgengesellschaft 
PSRO Polish Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology
SASRO Scientific Association of Swiss Radiation Oncology
VMSÖ Austrian Association for Medical Radiation Protection

Honors & Awards

  • 1994 ÖGRO Award 1994 for the clinical paper: 
    Track Ch, Seewald DH, Zoidl J, Hammer J: 
    Externe Bestrahlung und interstitielle HDR-Brachytherapie in der Behandlung des Mammakarzinoms.


  • 1994 Prof. Dr. Walter Pilgerstorfer Award, Medical Association of Upper Austria: 
    Seewald DH, Zoidl J, Hammer J, Track Ch, Putz E: 
    Qualitätssicherung in der brusterhaltenden Therapie des Mammakarzinoms. 


  • 1996 Radiation protection award: „Pro Merito“-Medal, Nuclear Science Center Seibersdorf (Lower Austria) and Red Cross Upper Austria


  • 1996 Honorary Member of the Polish Oncologic Society (PTO) 


  • 1997 Kurt Sauerwein Award, 9th International Brachytherapy Meeting, Boston, MA, USA 


  • 2000 Honorary Member of the Belgian Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology    (BVRO) 


  • 2001 Strebel Medal, 2nd Brachytherapy Conference DEGRO- ÖGRO-SASRO 


  • 2002 Gold Medal Award of the Polish Society of Radiation Oncology (PSTRO) 


  • 2006 First Prize of the German Senology Society for the scientific paper: 
    Ott O, G. Hildebrandt, R. Pötter, J. Hammer, M. Lotter, A. Resch, R. Sauer, V. Strnad: 
    Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation: Interim Results of the German-Austrian Phase-II-Trial 


  • 2007 Honorary Medal of the Austrian Cancer Society 


  • 2009 ÖGRO Award 2009 for the recursive partitioning analysis: 
    Bräutigam E., Track C., Seewald D.H., Feichtinger J., Spiegl K., Hammer J.: 
    Medial tumor localization in breast cancer - an unappreciated risk factor? 


  • 2012 Leopold Freund Medal of the Austrian Society for Radiation Oncology (ÖGRO) 


  • 2013 GEC-ESTRO Iridium Award 


  • 2013 Gold Medal for Merits for the Federal State of Upper Austria 


  • 2017 Innovation-Award of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) and the Society for Medical Technology (GfM, Germany)


  • 2017 Golden Honorary Award, Medical Association Upper Austria 


  • 2019 Business title “Professor”,  
    awarded by the Federal President of the Republic of Austria, 
    Prof. Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen 


  • 2024 Honorary Member of the Austrian Society for Radiation Oncology (ÖGRO) 

 

Hobbies

Music (piano, guitar, flute, harmonica), member of a choir (until 12/2023), 
traveling, digitising old films and videos, 
sports up to 2017 (mountaineering, ski touring), now walking in the nature