ASTRO publishes RT for anal cancer guideline, Calling all poets, Prep for #PSAW25

March 5, 2025

ASTRO guideline on radiation therapy for anal cancer published in PRO

ASTRO’s new radiation therapy for anal cancer guideline provides guidance for physicians who use radiation therapy to treat adult patients with stages I to III anal squamous cell carcinoma. Recommendations address indications for RT, concurrent systemic therapy and local excision/surgery; appropriate RT techniques, dose-fractionation regimens, target volumes and dose constraints; and appropriate surveillance strategies after definitive treatment. For a more detailed summary of the key points from the guideline, see ASTRO’s news release.

 

Don’t miss important updates on Medicare changes, ROCR Act

ASTRO will host a live Town Hall on March 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. ASTRO physician leaders will host a discussion on upcoming Medicare coding changes and the latest legislative activity on the Radiation Oncology Case Rate Act. Submit questions for the Town Hall in advance and register to attend. The Town Hall will be recorded.

 

ASTRO joins letter urging robust NIH funding

ASTRO signed on to a letter with 600 organizations to congressional appropriations leaders urging them to prioritize robust funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY25. The letter also advocated for continued support for grantee indirect costs and highlighted the potential consequences of reduced NIH funding. See more at What’s Happening in Washington.

 

Calling all poets! Red Journal call for poetry submissions

The Red Journal invites poetry submissions from anyone affiliated with the field of radiation oncology. Similar to the cover art series, the editorial team is looking for written works that grant readers access to unique points of view, expand our understanding of medicine and the world, and serve as another point of connection. Read the full submission guidelines and submit your work in Red Journal's online submission system.

 

Patient Safety Awareness Week 2025

The entire house of medicine will be observing Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW) next week, March 9-15. This is an opportunity to bring attention to safety initiatives, acknowledge staff leading safety advances and celebrate accomplishments in quality improvement. Read this recent ASTROblog post for ideas to highlight your own practice’s safety initiatives and plan to join ASTRO for the Patient Safety Conversation Hour on Tuesday, March 11, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. Attendees will discuss curated RO-ILS events in small groups and then debrief with safety experts. Lastly, be sure to post safety selfies using our #PSAW25 signs.

 

Don't miss out! Register for the ASTRO Annual Refresher Course

The Annual Refresher Course will be held live online from April 9-11, and provides a comprehensive review of the latest treatment methods and core competencies. A repeat attendee enthusiastically shares reasons for returning to the course: “For the busy, practicing clinician, it’s difficult to attend a live, in-person CME event. The ASTRO Virtual Annual Refresher Course fills this void. By emphasizing recently published trials, the discussions help to keep care in the community up to a cutting-edge standard.” Learn more about the sessions and speakers, eContouring, continuing education credits, the Refresher onDemand and Academy add-on courses and register today!

 

A focus on the facts: ASTRO’s public awareness campaign

ASTRO recently launched an online advertising campaign that gives cancer patients the facts about radiation therapy. The updated RTAnswers website now includes video interviews with rad oncs and patients about what radiation therapy is and how it can cure or treat cancer, an FAQs handout and a short quiz to test website visitors' knowledge of radiation therapy. Bookmark the site and share with your patients: www.rtanswers.org/RTinFocus.

 

New RadOnc Report podcast - ASTRO’s Role as an Advocate Organization

Want to learn more about ASTRO’s role as an advocate organization? Don’t miss this podcast with Mustafa Basree, DO, ASTRO’s Government Relations Fellow, and Anne Hubbard, ASTRO’s Director of Health Policy. They cover ASTRO’s regulatory policy and legislative initiatives, including ROCR and prior authorization, as well as how ASTRO members can get involved.