While the wind and rain from a nor’easter buffeted the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center in South Boston, attendees of the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) annual meeting packed conference rooms to hear the latest advances in the field.
Our top story features interviews with two radiation oncologists who described their takes on how the boom in radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is impacting practice – one is just implementing a program, while the other offered expert views on how RPT is influencing the field.
We featured a study that provides the most robust evidence to date that low-dose radiation therapy (RT) can improve short-term pain and physical function in patients with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis. Also, an ultra-low-dose RT study found that the treatment relieved painful bone lesions in patients with multiple myeloma.
A novel stereotactic radiosurgery technique was shown to significantly reduce suicidal ideation in patients with major depressive disorder, with potential life-saving implications. Meanwhile, according to a team at the University of California, San Diego, psychotherapy within four weeks of cancer diagnosis lowers the risk of dying.
In a plenary session on September 28, findings were presented showing that fractionated radiosurgery can reduce cancer recurrence after surgery for large brain metastases; in the same session, attendees learned that 10-year outcomes support hypofractionated radiotherapy in women with high-risk breast cancer after mastectomy.
We kicked off our ASTRO 2026 coverage with an interview with the society’s current president Neha Vapiwala, MD, and capped it with one with incoming president Catheryn Yashar, MD, who discussed highlights of the meeting and provided a teaser on what to expect next year for ASTRO 2027 in Chicago.
See below for the list of our top 10 stories from ASTRO 2026 and stop by our ShowCast for our complete coverage.
Video from ASTRO: How is the RPT boom impacting radiation oncology?
Radiosurgery reduces suicidal ideation in major depressive disorder
Psychotherapy after cancer diagnosis tied to lower mortality
Fractionated radiosurgery lessens brain metastases recurrence
10-year outcomes support hypofractionated radiotherapy in breast cancer
Radiosurgery may extend survival for SCLC with brain metastases
Navigator program improves access for African American breast cancer patients
