Register for Annual Refresher, 2025 ASTRO Coding Resource, Comments needed: WHO Grade 4 Glioma guide
January 8, 2025
| Registration is now open for the 2025 Virtual Annual Refresher Course |
| Join your colleagues online from April 9-11 for this comprehensive review of the latest treatment methods and core competencies for the major disease sites. The Annual Refresher Course is a live virtual meeting led by expert presenters. Three eContouring sessions are included where you experience hands-on practice cases in Upper GI, Breast and Lymphomas. Along with the Refresher onDemand, there are two bonus onDemand presentations on pediatrics and vulvar and vaginal cancers. Registrants receive discounts on several add-on courses from the ASTRO Annual Meeting. Learn more and register by February 5 for the best rate! |
| Whole Breast Irradiation Guideline Task Force application open |
| ASTRO is initiating a task force to develop a replacement guideline on Whole Breast Irradiation. ASTRO strives to avoid bias and to assemble diverse task forces with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, experience, practice setting and geographic location and seeks to expand the pool of potential task force members. Interested members may apply for consideration and forward this information to any colleagues who may be interested. The application deadline is February 5. |
| Reminder: WHO Grade 4 Glioma guideline comments due next Wednesday |
| ASTRO seeks feedback on the draft guideline on Radiation Therapy for WHO Grade 4 Diffuse Glioma (replacing the 2016 Glioblastoma Guideline). The scope of the guideline is to provide updated recommendations on RT for patients with grade 4 adult-type diffuse glioma including diagnosis and treatment, integration of molecular markers, advanced imaging techniques and novel therapeutics. Please review the guideline and submit comments through the webform by Wednesday, January 15. |
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2025 ASTRO Coding Resource is available for purchase The 2025 edition of the ASTRO Coding Resource is now available for purchase. An essential coding reference for all radiation oncology practices, the Coding Resource includes information on updated CPT and HCPCS codes for 2025, updated content on E/M and related codes, IGRT and more. Choose from either the resource bundle (includes eBook access and one print copy) or the eBook (includes eBook access only). If you’d like to add additional print copies, be sure to purchase the bundle. Become a coding pro — purchase a copy today! |
| Year-end legislation update – Congress failed to address physician priorities in 2024 |
| Congress finished 2024 without blocking Medicare physician payment cuts or restricting prior authorization. Up against a December 20 government funding deadline, the House and Senate passed legislation to continue federal spending until March 14, 2025, and extended telehealth flexibilities until March 31. ASTRO and other physician organizations will work to influence the new Congress and administration to retroactively fix the Medicare cuts, pass the Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care (S.4532/HR 8702) prior auth bill, and increase cancer research funding for this fiscal year and next. ASTRO has started the process of reintroducing the ROCR Act in the new Congress. Read more at What’s Happening in Washington. |
| Major device company backs ROCR Act |
| ASTRO commends corporate member Boston Scientific, one of the world’s leading medical innovation companies, for signing on in support of the Radiation Oncology Case Rate (ROCR) Act. Boston Scientific joins Sun Nuclear, a Mirion Medical Company, as early corporate supporters of ASTRO-backed legislation to secure payment reform for radiation oncology. ASTRO urges members to encourage their radiation oncology industry partners to join the more than 80 organizations supporting the ROCR Act, which will be reintroduced in Congress in early 2025. |
| Applications close Friday: ASTRO-AstraZeneca Industry Fellowship and ASTRO-BCRF Emerging Investigator Award |
| The ASTRO-AstraZeneca Radiation Oncology Research Training Fellowship offers an incredible opportunity for researchers to collaborate with industry leaders and advance their projects. The 2025 ASTRO-BCRF Emerging Investigator Award supports early career breast radiation oncology researchers from underrepresented populations with a focus on building a diverse scientific workforce. Review the Request for Proposals for all the details on both opportunities and to submit your proposal.
Applications for the fellowship and emerging investigator award are due this Friday, January 10. Visit our website for more information on ASTRO’s research funding. |
| President’s Corner – Episode 3 |
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| Listen in on a chat between ASTRO President Sameer Keole, MD, FASTRO, and ASTRO Chair Howard Sandler, MD, MS, FASTRO, in this third installment of the President’s Corner. This dynamic conversation reveals the atypical path Dr. Sandler took to his involvement in the Government Relations Council and ultimately to his presidency. The thought-provoking dialogue invites members to consider their own path to ASTRO engagement this new year. |
| ROI welcomes new Board leaders |
| The Radiation Oncology Institute (ROI) – the ASTRO Foundation – ushered in 2025 with new officers and a new Board member. As of January 1, Gita Suneja, MD, MSHP, stepped into the role of President, Jason Efstathiou, MD, DPhil, FASTRO, became the Vice-president and Fumiko Chino, MD, joined the Board as a Trustee. Read the announcement to learn more about ROI’s new Board leadership. |
