Physicians and scientists from the UCLA Well being Jonsson Complete Most cancers Middle will share the newest analysis and scientific trial outcomes on the 2025 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Assembly, together with research on focused radioactive remedy for recurrent prostate most cancers, new approaches to stereotactic physique radiation for prostate and head and neck cancers, advances in MRI- and 5DCT-guided imaging for extra exact therapies, and improvements in patient-focused most cancers schooling.
At this 12 months’s scientific assembly, Dr. Amar Kishan, government vice chair of radiation oncology at UCLA and co-director of the Most cancers Molecular Imaging, Nanotechnology and Theranostics Program on the UCLA Well being Jonsson Complete Most cancers Middle, will current findings from the LUNAR scientific trial (Summary 3), which seems to be at including 177Lutetium-PSMA, a focused radioactive remedy, as a therapy given earlier than ablative radiotherapy for males with recurrent prostate most cancers. The outcomes shall be highlighted throughout an oral presentation on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1:10pm PDT within the San Francisco Ballroom and is a part of the ASTRO information briefing on Monday, Sept. 29 at 11am PDT.
Moreover, Dr. Drew Moghanaki, chief of thoracic oncology in UCLA’s division of radiation oncology, has been named a 2025 fellow of ASTRO. The popularity is awarded yearly to physicians, physicists, and scientists in honor of their distinctive achievements and lasting contributions to the society, most cancers analysis, schooling, affected person care, and the sector of radiation oncology, highlighting work that advances the important function of radiation remedy in most cancers therapy.
UCLA research featured at this 12 months’s ASTRO assembly supply thrilling new insights into rising radiation therapies and imaging applied sciences, pointing to modern approaches to make most cancers therapy safer, extra exact, and simpler. These displays spotlight the collaborative efforts of our physicians, scientists, and trainees, and replicate UCLA’s long-standing management and dedication to advancing most cancers care.”
Dr. Michael Steinberg, professor and chair of radiation oncology on the David Geffen Faculty of Drugs at UCLA and director of Scientific Affairs on the UCLA Well being Jonsson Complete Most cancers Middle
Highlights of noteworthy displays by UCLA school at ASTRO embrace:
Summary 148: 4-year outcomes from SCIMITAR trial testing stereotactic physique radiation remedy after prostate surgical procedure
Dr. Jesus Juarez Casillas, co-chief resident within the division of radiation oncology at UCLA, will current findings from the SCIMITAR section II scientific trial, which evaluated stereotactic physique radiation remedy (SBRT) in males vulnerable to prostate most cancers returning after surgical procedure. After 4 years, 62% of sufferers had no indicators of most cancers returning, native recurrences have been uncommon, and outcomes in contrast favorably with standard radiation approaches. The analysis, led by Kishan, shall be introduced on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 5:05pm PDT in Room 24.
Summary 253: 5DCT supplies extra correct lung tumor imaging for sufferers with irregular respiration
Dr. Daniel Low, professor and vice chair of medical physics analysis and innovation within the division of radiation oncology at UCLA will report findings from the primary massive research of 5DCT, a brand new CT imaging approach designed to enhance scans for sufferers with lung tumors who breathe irregularly. Not like standard 4DCT, which may produce unreliable photos, 5DCT accounts for respiration movement in three dimensions in addition to the speed and depth of every breath, producing clearer, artifact-free photos. In a research of 108 sufferers, 5DCT allowed clinicians to extra precisely outline tumor dimension and movement, supporting higher radiation planning. The workflow was dependable for almost all sufferers, even these with extremely variable respiration patterns, and is now getting used to develop automated imaging processes reminiscent of 5D Cone-Beam CT. The outcomes shall be introduced on Monday, Sept. 29 at 3:10pm PDT in in Room 155/157.
Summary 1005: Evaluating acute uncomfortable side effects of MRI-guided prostate SBRT with and with out adaptive dose portray
Dr. Travis Courtney, co-chief resident within the division of radiation oncology at UCLA, is presenting analysis evaluating two MRI-guided types of focused radiation remedy for prostate most cancers. The research checked out customary high-dose MRI-guided stereotactic physique radiotherapy (MRgSBRT) versus an adaptive “dose-painted” strategy that enhances radiation to dominant tumor areas whereas reducing the dose to surrounding tissue. Outcomes confirmed that sufferers receiving the adaptive dose-painted remedy skilled greater acute uncomfortable side effects as measured by physicians, notably urinary and bowel signs. Nevertheless, patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes have been related between the 2 teams. The findings recommend that rising dose to particular tumor areas might not cut back uncomfortable side effects and spotlight the necessity for additional research because the trial continues to enroll sufferers. The work, led by Kishan, shall be introduced on Monday, Sept. 29 at 8:30am PDT in Room 307/308.
Summary 1003: Evaluation of sexual operate after MRI-guided prostate SBRT within the MIRAGE trial
Dr. Jonathan Massachi, a radiation oncology resident at UCLA, will focus on findings from the MIRAGE trial that checked out sexual operate in males receiving SBRT for prostate most cancers, evaluating customary CT-guided SBRT with MRI-guided SBRT. Regardless of utilizing MRI steering to cut back radiation publicity to key nerves and blood vessels, almost one-third of males in each teams skilled a major decline in sexual operate two years after therapy. Elements reminiscent of hormone remedy, pelvic radiation, and baseline sexual operate have been linked to those modifications. The findings recommend that whereas MRI-guided SBRT can cut back some radiation publicity, further methods, like vessel-sparing methods, could also be wanted to raised protect sexual operate in males present process prostate most cancers therapy. The research, led by Kishan, shall be introduced on Monday, Sept. 29 at 8:20am PDT in Room 307/308.
Summary 2785: Postoperative stereotactic physique radiation remedy reveals promise for head and neck most cancers
Dr. Miriam Lane, a radiation oncology resident at UCLA, will current findings from a research evaluating postoperative SBRT for sufferers with newly recognized or recurrent head and neck most cancers. The research discovered that SBRT was well-tolerated, with no extreme acute uncomfortable side effects and solely two late severe toxicities, although about half of sufferers skilled most cancers recurrence inside two years. Outcomes have been related for newly recognized and recurrent instances. The research, led by Dr. Ricky Savjani, an assistant professor of Radiation Oncology on the David Geffen Faculty of Drugs at UCLA, means that postoperative SBRT is a possible, shorter therapy choice, whereas additional analysis is required to optimize affected person choice and enhance outcomes. The analysis shall be introduced on Monday, Sept. 29 at 10:45am PDT in Corridor F.
Summary 139: Research Identifies Genetic Drivers of Radiation-Resistant Prostate Most cancers
Dr. Beth Neilsen, a former radiation oncology resident at UCLA, will focus on findings from a research that analyzed tumors from sufferers with prostate most cancers that returned after radiation remedy. The analysis, led by Kishan, revealed that these recurrent tumors carry the next frequency of mutations in genes linked to aggressive illness and defective DNA restore, together with BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD51B, and POLQ. In contrast with treatment-naïve cancers, additionally they confirmed extra aggressive molecular subtypes, greater genomic threat scores, and decreased androgen receptor exercise. These insights make clear why some prostate cancers resist radiation and will assist information future therapy approaches. The findings shall be introduced on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 3:30pm PDT in Room 155/157.
Session EDU 29: Empowering Sufferers by way of Innovation: Enhancing Most cancers Training with Digital Instruments
Dr. Trudy Wu, assistant professor of radiation oncology at UCLA, will average a panel exploring how digital instruments are remodeling most cancers schooling. Panelists Dr. David Grew, Dr. Hyunsoo No, and affected person advocate Jill Feldman will share methods for making complicated most cancers info, reminiscent of therapy choices, uncomfortable side effects, and prognosis, extra comprehensible and accessible. The session highlights narrated animations, instructional movies, and patient-centered sources designed to cut back worry, enhance understanding, and assist higher decision-making for sufferers navigating a most cancers analysis. The session is on Monday, Sept. 29 at 5pm PDT in Room 152.