Radiation and Cancer Biology
Radiation and Cancer Physics
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits 1.25
CAMPEP Credits: 1.25
MDCB Credits: 1.25
Rongxiao Zhang, PhD
University of Missouri
Valhalla, NY
FLASH radiation therapy (FLASH-RT), delivered with ultrahigh dose rate (UHDR), may allow patients to be treated with less normal tissue toxicity for a given tumor dose compared with currently used conventional dose rate. Clinical trials are being carried out and are needed to test whether this improved therapeutic ratio can be achieved clinically. The roadmap to the clinical translation of FLASH-RT remains yet to be clear. Gaps exist in planning, dosimetry, delivery, quality assurance technologies and credentialing processes. Recently, an NRG group has formed to report an initial framework on potential pathways to FLASH-RT trials. For the proposed session, experts from that group will be invited to elaborate on 1) current and the outlook for FLASH delivery technologies; 2) dosimetry, QA and credentialing requirements for FLASH trials; 3) considerations on FLASH treatment planning and bookkeeping; 4) recommendations on the design of FLASH clinical trials. We need to redefine optimization to focus not only on the dose but also on the dose rate in a manner that is robust and understandable and that can be prescribed, validated and confirmed in real time. Robust patient safety systems and access to treatment data will be critical as FLASH-RT moves into the clinical trials.
Speaker: Rongxiao Zhang, PhD – University of Missouri
Speaker: Jeffrey Buchsbaum, MD, PhD, MS, FASTRO, AM – NCI
Speaker: Anthony Mascia, PhD, MS – Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Speaker: Stephen Kry, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
Speaker: Devarati Mitra, MD, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center
Speaker: Rongxiao Zhang, PhD – University of Missouri