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Radiation oncologists across the country will meet virtually with members of Congress this week to urge lawmakers to pass legislation that will safeguard access to high-quality, value-based health care for people with cancer. The doctors will meet with Congressional leaders and staff as part of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) virtual Advocacy Day, which will take place November 19-20, 2020.

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A new study points to a need for oncologists to ask their patients about sexual health after chemotherapy, radiation and other cancer treatments. In a survey of nearly 400 cancer survivors, 87% said they experienced sexual side effects, but most also said their oncologist had not formally asked about them. Female patients were especially unlikely to be asked about sexual dysfunction. Findings will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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The number of radiation therapy facilities in the United States has grown by 17% over the last 15 years, according to a new study presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting. This growth has disproportionately favored urban areas already dense in treatment centers, however; roughly 5% of the U.S. population remains more than 50 miles from the closest facility.

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A new study finds that the racial composition of clinical trials involving radiation therapy does not match that of the U.S. population. Findings will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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A phase III trial from India shows that an advanced radiation therapy technique leads to fewer gastrointestinal side effects in women who receive radiation after undergoing hysterectomy for cervical cancer. Findings from the PARCER trial (NCT01279135) will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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Results of a new randomized phase III trial suggest that stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) should replace whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) as the standard of care for patients with four or more brain metastases. Results from the clinical trial (NCT01592968) will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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A new study shows using fewer and higher doses of high-precision radiation therapy is a more effective approach for treating painful spinal tumors than conventional radiation therapy. Findings from the Canadian phase II/III trial (NCT02512965) will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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A new study, conducted across 13 medical centers in Australia and New Zealand, strengthens the case for radiation therapy as a treatment for cancer that has begun to spread throughout the body. Findings of the SAFRON II trial (NCT01965223) will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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Adding the advanced PET radiotracer fluciclovine to conventional imaging to help guide radiation treatments for recurrent prostate cancer can improve disease-free survival rates, a new study finds. Findings from the randomized phase II/III EMPIRE-1 trial (NCT01666808) will be presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

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A new clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides guidance for physicians who use radiation therapy to treat patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Recommendations outline indications and best practices for pelvic radiation treatments, as well as the integration of radiation with chemotherapy and surgery for stage II-III disease. The guideline, which replaces ASTRO's 2016 guidance for rectal cancer, is published in Practical Radiation Oncology.

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The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) announced today the press program for its 2020 Annual Meeting, which will feature studies on cancer treatment advances and discussions of topical issues including COVID-19. Researchers will present their findings via live webcasts on October 26 and 27. Register for press access at www.astro.org/annnualmeetingpress.

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Radiation oncologists today expressed serious concerns about a new private insurance coverage policy that could undermine patient-centered care for two of the most common cancers in the United States. Leaders of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) urge eviCore, a radiation oncology benefits management company, to halt and make meaningful changes to a new policy for radiation therapy coverage. Under the new policy, EviCore mandates that most breast and prostate cancer treatments use a shorter, hypofractionated radiation therapy regimen even if it runs counter to a physician’s clinical recommendation.

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In response to today’s announcement by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish an advanced alternative payment model (APM) for radiation oncology practices starting January 1, 2021, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) issued the following statement from Theodore L. DeWeese, MD, FASTRO, Chair of the ASTRO Board of Directors.

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The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has selected 19 distinguished members to receive the ASTRO Fellow (FASTRO) designation. The 2020 class of Fellows will be recognized at a virtual awards ceremony on October 27 during ASTRO’s 62nd Annual Meeting.

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The members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) have elected four new officers to ASTRO’s Board of Directors. Geraldine Jacobson, MD, MPH, MBA, FASTRO, will begin her term as President-elect in October during ASTRO’s 62nd Annual Meeting.

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The American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO) 62nd Annual Meeting, will be held October 25-28 via an interactive virtual platform. The meeting, Global Oncology: Radiation Therapy in a Changing World, will feature reports from the latest clinical trials; panels on global oncology, health disparities and the novel coronavirus; and an immersive attendee experience in a virtual convention center. Media resources are available at www.astro.org/astro2020press.

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A new clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides recommendations for radiation therapy to treat patients with nonmetastatic cervical cancer. The guideline outlines indications and best practices for EBRT and brachytherapy in postoperative and definitive settings, and it also addresses chemotherapy and surgery when used in combination with radiation. The guideline is published online in Practical Radiation Oncology.

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Despite facing challenges such as limited access to PPE during the COVID-19 outbreak, radiation oncology clinics quickly implemented safety enhancements that allowed them to continue caring for cancer patients, according to a new national survey from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). All 222 physician leaders in the survey collected April 16-30 said their practices continued to provide radiation therapy, yet 85% also reported declines in patient visits, and by an average of one-third.

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A new clinical trial suggests that immunotherapy given before other treatments for oral cavity cancers can elicit an immune response that shrinks tumors, which could provide long-term benefit for patients. In the randomized trial, two neoadjuvant doses of nivolumab given with or without ipilimumab led to complete or partial tumor shrinkage in most cases and did not delay any patients from continuing on to standard treatment. Findings will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium.

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A new phase II trial finds that a combination of radiation therapy and immunotherapy led to encouraging survival outcomes and acceptable toxicity for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The combination of radiation and pembrolizumab may offer a new treatment option for patients who are ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy, part of standard treatment for the disease. Findings will be presented at the 2020 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium.