Article Topic: Radiation Therapy

Bergom Named ASTRO Fellow 

WashU Medicine radiation oncologist Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD, a renowned research member of Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine, has been named a fellow of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). 

The honor recognizes ASTRO members’ outstanding achievements and contributions to the organization, cancer research, education and patient care. Bergom and other newly named fellows will be recognized at ASTRO’s 68th Annual Meeting in Boston on Sept. 29. 

“The 2026 ASTRO Fellows reflect the depth and breadth of leadership in radiation medicine,” said ASTRO CEO Vivek S. Kavadi, MD, MBA, FASTRO. “Their careers demonstrate the many ways ASTRO members move our field forward through discovery, clinical excellence, education, mentorship and service. We are proud to recognize this distinguished class.” 

ASTRO is the world’s largest professional society dedicated to advancing radiation medicine, with 10,000 members, including physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists and dosimetrists, who work to improve patient outcomes through clinical care, research, education and advocacy. 

Bergom, an associate professor of radiation oncology who joined the WashU Medicine faculty in 2020, treats breast cancer patients at Siteman Cancer Center. She also is an R01-funded investigator focused on increasing the therapeutic ration of radiation therapy by improving the effectiveness of radiation therapy and decreasing side effects. 

Bergom’s research specifically focuses on identifying the mechanisms of radiation-induced cardiac and lung dysfunction to better diagnosis, prevent and treat these toxicities. Her work is examining potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets that may enhance tumor responses to radiation therapy and minimize radiation-induced cardiac and lung dysfunction. 

Bergom’s leadership in the field extends beyond her research. She also serves as vice chair of the ASTRO Science Steering Committee and is a lead writer for the Pathology subgroup of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) CircuDis project, the reports of which are used by governments and agencies around the world to set radiation protection standards.  

In 2021, Bergom received the Michael Fry Research Award from the Radiation Research Society. The award recognizes one junior scientist each year who has made extraordinary contributions to the field of radiation research. 

Learn more about Bergom’s lab and research. 

Siteman Cancer Center Radiation Therapy Recognized for Excellence

Reaccreditation by the American Society for Radiation Oncology underscores Siteman’s enterprise-wide commitment to adult and pediatric patient-centered care

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine, has again been recognized as one of the best radiation oncology centers in the nation.

The recognition comes from its reaccreditation by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), whose 10,000-plus members worldwide — physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other healthcare professionals — specialize in treating patients with radiation therapy.

All seven Siteman Cancer Center locations, including Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, earned full reaccreditation from ASTRO’s APEx – Accreditation Program for Excellence®, through February 2030. APEx recognizes radiation oncology centers that meet rigorous standards for safety, quality and patient-centered care.

“Achieving APEx reaccreditation across all seven of our sites is a monumental operational achievement,” said Sana Karam, MD, PhD, the Elizabeth H. and James S. McDonnell III Distinguished Professor of Medicine and chair of Radiation Oncology at WashU Medicine and at Siteman Cancer Center. “It reflects the relentless commitment of our entire radiation oncology team — our physicists, dosimetrists, therapists, nurses and physicians. Maintaining this uncompromising standard of safety and quality at such a massive scale is a testament to the true collaborative spirit of WashU and Siteman.”

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Siteman has been APEx-accredited since 2017. Additionally, Siteman’s radiation oncology teams at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Memorial Hospital Shiloh earned APEx’s new radiopharmaceutical therapy designation. Radiopharmaceuticals, also known as systemic radiation therapy, this year.

Accreditation through APEx is a voluntary and rigorous multi-step process. The enterprise-wide radiation therapy center at Siteman was evaluated using consensus-based standards. Throughout the process, the Department of Radiation Oncology “demonstrated our continued focus on safety and quality and our commitment to patient-centered care, with an emphasis on effective communication, coordinated treatments and strong patient engagement,” Karam said.

1,000th patient treated at Siteman with AI-enabled radiation therapy system

Combining artificial intelligence (AI) with advanced imaging, the technology supports more precise, personalized daily treatments by WashU Medicine physicians

Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine has treated its 1,000th patient using state-of-the art radiation therapy technology that allows physicians to update a patient’s treatment plan on each day of treatment.

Called adaptive technology, the system incorporates slight changes in tumor shape, size and location, as well as the movement of surrounding healthy organs and tissue, to adjust a patient’s daily radiation therapy treatment plan for the best possible outcome.

The system is used to treat a range of tumors, including head and neck, central nervous system, thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cancers.

“We are pleased to offer this advanced technology to our patients — from the first person we treated with this system in 2020, to the 1,000th person in August 2025,” said WashU Medicine radiation oncologist Hyun Kim, MD, associate professor of radiation oncology and chief of Adaptive Radiation Therapy at WashU Medicine and Siteman.

“The milestone of 1,000 patients treated on this platform is literally the result of thousands of hours dedicated by our faculty and staff to personalize treatment every day for every patient,” he said.

Also known as online adaptive radiation therapy, it requires a team of expert physicians, physicists and radiation therapists to develop and review a treatment plan after the patient’s arrival — all within minutes after the patient is positioned to receive treatment.

In addition to the AI component and machine learning, the platform is equipped with cone-beam computed tomography (CT). Cone-beam CT quickly provides high-quality images and leads to better visualization of the tumors and surrounding healthy organs and tissue, allowing the physician to develop even more accurate, personalized treatment plans than with some older radiotherapy platforms.

In clinical trials incorporating the new technology, patients experienced decreased times to treatment and, in some cases, improved cancer control with less damage to surrounding healthy organs and tissue.

For some gynecologic cancers, treatment can involve imaging the ovaries of pre-menopausal patients. As a result, some patients have experienced premature ovarian failure and early menopause when treated with older radiotherapy technologies. WashU Medicine physician-scientists are conducting an ongoing clinical trial using the new technology with the hope that they can spare these organs.

Known as Ethos, the platform is manufactured by Varian Medical Systems, which also makes the cone-beam CT imaging component, called HyperSight.