Newswise — ARLINGTON, Va., May 19, 2016 – Registration opens today for the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) 58th Annual Meeting, which will feature a record number of abstracts, scientific and educational presentations on radiation oncology clinical trials and research and keynote addresses from former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, the current chair and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization and a top safety executive from Delta Air Lines.

The 2016 ASTRO Annual Meeting, to be held September 25-28, 2016, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, is expected to attract more than 11,000 attendees from across the globe, including oncologists from all disciplines and members of the entire radiation oncology team.

Led by ASTRO President David C. Beyer, MD, FASTRO, the 2016 meeting is organized around the theme, “Enhancing Value, Improving Outcomes,” echoing growing calls from policy makers, physicians and patients for value-based health care. “The goal of ASTRO’s 2016 Annual Meeting is to highlight the latest scientific and technological advances while emphasizing the importance of radiation oncology in providing value to cancer patients through cure and palliation,” said Dr. Beyer.

Three keynote addresses will examine various aspects of value in health care, such as safety, quality and access. Keynote speakers include:-- Kathleen Sebelius, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (Monday, September 26, 2016)-- Thomas James Lynch Jr., MD, chair and chief executive officer, Massachusetts General Physicians Organization (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)-- Jason Ragogna, general manager, SMS and Safety Alliances, Corporate Safety, Security, and Compliance, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)

The Presidential Symposium, “Prostate Cancer: Defining Value and Delivering It,” will feature Louis Potters, MD, FASTRO, and Jeff M. Michalski, MD, FASTRO, to highlight recent practice-changing landmark studies and current developments in the value-based care for prostate cancer. Concurrent with the scientific and educational program, more than 200 exhibitors will demonstrate the latest cutting-edge technology and medical device innovations for radiation oncology.

When and Where: Sunday, September 25 – Wednesday, September 28, 2016; Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston

Press Registration: Credentialed journalists from accredited news organizations are invited to attend and report on the ASTRO Annual Meeting. Reporters registered by September 10 will receive the embargoed Annual Meeting press kit prior to the meeting. The Press Policies and Registration Form are available online at www.astro.org/AMpress.

ASTRO will have a dedicated press office in Room 151A of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, open Sunday through Wednesday.

News Briefings: ASTRO news briefings will highlight abstracts selected from the general program. All briefings will be available live on-site in Boston and via webcast for registered press, with audio recordings, slides and photos posted on the ASTRO website afterward.

A news briefing on Sunday, September 25, with ASTRO President David C. Beyer, MD, FASTRO, will provide an overview of the meeting and progress on ASTRO initiatives. News briefings on Monday and Tuesday, September 26 and 27, will feature top-rated studies. A final briefing schedule will be announced in September.

More information is available at the ASTRO Annual Meeting website, www.astro.org/annualmeeting.

ABOUT ASTROASTRO is the premier radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics (www.redjournal.org), Practical Radiation Oncology (www.practicalradonc.org) and Advances in Radiation Oncology (www.advancesradonc.org); developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers (www.rtanswers.org); and created the Radiation Oncology Institute (www.roinstitute.org), a nonprofit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.

Meeting Link: ASTRO Annual Meeting