ASTRO and RPT Industry Roundtable members discuss the use of radiopharms
ASTRO Communications Staff
Reirradiation Collaborative Group meet to discuss clinical research challenges
The Reirradiation Collaborative Group (ReCOG) meeting, hosted by the University of Michigan with sponsorship from Varian and AAPM, was held on May 16-18. With 141 participants from 15 countries, and participation from multiple professional societies including ASTRO, this scientific gathering discussed the challenges involved in the clinical and research aspects of reirradiation.
The first project the group hopes to undertake is developing a consensus paper on minimum and recommended reporting standards for dose accumulation and evaluation. Keep an eye out in ASTRO communications for more information and the opportunity to participate.
ASTRO hosted an inaugural Radiopharmaceutical Roundtable at the end of March. More than 40 thought leaders involved in radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) gathered to discuss several key themes and critical needs, including the status of the workforce and associated training needs, health policy implications, and research and development. ASTRO Board Chair Jeff Michalski, MD, MBA, FASTRO, along with Ana Kiess, MD, PhD, and Freddie Escorcia, MD, PhD, chair and vice-chair of the ASTRO RPT Committee respectively, led the meeting with support from Roundtable members Novartis and Lantheus. Other industry members who attended in person and online included representatives from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Cellectar Biosciences, Elekta, NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, Sun Nuclear - a Mirion Medical Company, and Theragenics. The Radiopharmaceutical Roundtable members will meet again in late 2024.
Radiopharmaceutical therapy is a rapidly expanding field. ASTRO members are well equipped to lead this effort with their knowledge of physics, radiobiology, pathophysiology, the effects of radiation on tumors and normal tissues and, most importantly, expertise and clinical competencies in oncologic decision making and multidisciplinary patient care.
Since 2018, ASTRO has been advancing efforts to expand the knowledge base for our members in the RPT space. Some of our initiatives include:
- Forming the RPT Committee
- Offering extended training at the ASTRO Annual Meetings since 2019
- Publishing an RPT-focused issue of ASTROnews in Winter 2023
- Launching a nine-part RPT webinar series, Beyond the Beam: A Radiation Oncology Curriculum for Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
- Discussing AU status requirements with regulators
- Expanding APEx Accreditation to include a stand-alone or add-on RPT-specific accreditation
- Developing an RPT Safety White Paper
Learn more about ASTRO’s RPT efforts at www.astro.org/RPT.
