WashU Medicine Radiation Oncologists at Siteman Cancer Center to Showcase Findings at ASTRO 2026

From Phase III prostate cancer trials to first-in-human adaptive radiotherapy, WashU Medicine teams will highlight major advances at the 68th ASTRO Annual Meeting

WashU Medicine physician-scientists and researchers affiliated with Siteman Cancer Center will present groundbreaking scientific and clinical advances at the 68th American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, Sept. 26-30 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston.

Several high-impact presentations represent advances in treatment for prostate, breast, genitourinary and lung cancers, soft-tissue sarcomas, neurocognition and AI-driven precision oncology. Another one, on adaptive radiotherapy, highlights the first-in-human trial evaluating the use of computed tomography (CT)-guided adaptive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for ultra-central tumors.

Additionally, Carmen Bergom, MD, PhD, a renowned research member of Siteman Cancer Center will be formally inducted as a member of the 2026 Class of ASTRO Fellows.

Among other presentations, WashU Medicine radiation oncologists and researchers are contributing to several sessions on AI-driven prediction models, including machine-learning approaches to treatment response, radiosensitivity and toxicity prediction. These contributions highlight WashU and Siteman Cancer Center’s leadership in computational oncology and precision radiotherapy.

“WashU Medicine faculty and trainees are leading or are centrally involved in many of ASTRO’s most influential presentations,” said Sana Karam, MD, PhD, the Elizabeth H. and James S. McDonnell III Distinguished Professor of Medicine and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at WashU Medicine and a nationally recognized leader in radiation oncology research at Siteman Cancer Center. “These include multiple NRG Oncology Phase III prostate cancer trials, first-in-human adaptive radiotherapy studies, prospective neurocognitive research and translational work shaping national standards of care.”

Click here for a pdf of all WashU Medicine presentations.

“We are particularly proud that several of our radiation oncology trainees are involved in prominent presentations,” Karam said, “which is a testament to the rigor of our academic program and the value that our faculty place on career development and mentorship here.”

Bergom and her fellow ASTRO Fellows will be inducted as ASTRO Fellows during the Sept. 29 awards ceremony. The ceremony will be at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time in the Grand Ballroom.

ASTRO 2026 is expected to draw more than 10,000 healthcare professionals from around the world. It features more than 2,500 abstract presentations, along with expert panel discussions and keynote addresses. More than 200 education and scientific sessions will be livestreamed in real time.

For more information, visit the annual meeting guide.

WashU Medicine Presentations

Below are highlighted presentations by WashU Medicine physician-scientists and other researchers at Siteman. All times are Eastern. And be sure to follow us at #ASTRO26 on X @SitemanCenter and Bluesky @sitemancenter.bsky.social.

Sunday, Sept. 27

Scientific Session: SS 09 – From Trials to Real-World Impact | 5-6 p.m., Room 109

Presentation: Endocrine Therapy Adherence after RT Omission in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Early-Stage Breast Cancer | 5:20-5:30 p.m.

Authors: Shannon Jiang, Mansi Agarwal, Carmen Bergom, Lannis Hall, Maria Thomas, Imran Zoberi and Joanna Yang

Presenter: Shannon Jiang, MD, WashU Medicine radiation oncology resident physician

Jiang will present new findings from her prospective study that evaluates whether patients continue taking daily endocrine therapy when radiation is omitted — a critical question in modern de-escalation strategies, given that up to half of patients historically discontinue therapy due to side effects.

Quick Pitch Session: QP 04 – Lung Quick Pitch: Early Stage NSCLC and Limited Stage SCLC | 5-6 p.m., Room 258

Presentation: Phase I Trial of CT-Guided Stereotactic Adaptive Radiotherapy (CT-STAR) of Ultra-Central Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) | 5:20-5:25 p.m.

Authors: Alden D’Souza, Joshua Schiff, Daniel Hong, Ryan Mueller, Farnoush Forghani, Thomas Mazur, Michael Waters, Amit Bhatt, Robert Beckert, Gregory Vlacich, Eric Laugeman, Clifford Robinson and Pamela Samson

Presenter: Alden D’Souza, MD, MPHS, WashU Medicine radiation oncology chief resident

D’Souza will present the results of the CT-STAR Phase 1 adaptive SBRT trial, the first-in-human trial evaluating the use of CT-guided adaptive SBRT for ultra-central tumors.

Monday, Sept. 28

Quick Pitch Session: QP 06 – Neurocognition and Novel Therapies in Glioma | 8-9 a.m., Room 254

Presentation: A Prospective Neurocognitive and Functional MRI Study Comparing Patients with Glioma and Well-Circumscribed Brain Tumors after Cranial Irradiation | 8:20-8:25 a.m.

Authors: Zhihua Liu, Chongliang Luo, Timothy Mitchell, Varintra Lander, Topher Cronkite, Joshua Shimony, Robert Fucetola, Abraham Snyder, Tong Zhu and Jiayi Huang

Presenter: Zhihua Liu, PhD, postdoctoral researcher in WashU Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology

Liu and her colleagues will present prospective neurocognitive and functional MRI findings demonstrating that neurocognitive decline can occur after cranial irradiation independent of tumor infiltration or chemotherapy. The research may influence future survivorship guidelines.

Tuesday, Sept. 29

Late-breaking Abstract Session: LBA 01 – Late-breaking Abstract Session | 2:15-3:30 p.m., Room 210

Presentation:A Phase II Trial of Induction Paclitaxel Followed by Concurrent Paclitaxel and Radiation Therapy for Cutaneous Angiosarcoma | 2:45-2:55 p.m.

Authors: Silpa Raju-Salicki, Trent Rothell, Rea Agnihotri, Brandi Jansen, Ryan Jackson, Jason Rich, Imran Zoberi, Matthew Spraker and Anthony Apicelli

Presenter: Silpa Raju-Salicki, MD, WashU Medicine radiation oncology resident physician

Quick Pitch Session: QP 26 – The Right Patient, the Right Treatment: Machine Learning for Stratification and Prediction | 5:15-6:15 p.m., Room 204

Presentation: Novel Counterfactual Machine Learning Reveals Treatment Specific Radiosensitivity in Gastric Cancer | 5:30-5:35 p.m.

Authors: Julia Balmaceda, Ramon Jin, Clifford Robinson, Pamela Samson and Michael Waters

Presenter: Julia Balmaceda, MD, WashU Medicine radiation oncology resident physician

Poster Q&A: Genitourinary Cancer, Gynecological Cancer, Health Care Access and Engagement | 2:15-3:30 p.m., Poster Hall – Exhibit Hall A

Presentation: A Phase I/II Dose-Escalation Study Evaluating the Safety of 21 Gy, 23 Gy, and 25 Gy for High-Dose Rate (HDR) Prostate Brachytherapy: An Interim Report | Screen 15

Authors: Danial Hong, Andrew Willett, Michael Padgett, Kevin Chen, Weiren Liu, Justin Mikell, Michael Altman, Jose Garcia-Ramirez, Anamaria Guta, Elizabeth Jeong, Phillip Wall, Jacqueline Zoberi, Sharbacha Edward, Joseph Hsu, Mustafa Mahmood, Amit Bhatt and Hiram Gay

Presenter: Michael Padgett, MD, WashU Medicine radiation oncology resident physician

Presentation: Prospective Phase I Clinical Trail of CBCT-Guided Adaptive SBRT to the Prostate and Pelvic Nodes with Simultaneous Integrated Boost to the MR-Detected Nodule for Patients with Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer | Screen 20

Authors: Andrew Willett, Weiren Liu, Daniel Hong, Vladislav Sviderskiy, Trevor Zimmerman, Mustafa Mahmood, Michael Waters, Joshua Schiff, Domenic Sievert, Doug Caruthers, Lauren Henke, Eric Laugeman, Robbie Beckert, James Randall, Brian Baumann, Jeffrey Michalski, Pamela Samson, Clifford Robinson, Hiram Gay and Amit Bhatt

Presenter: Vladislav Sviderskiy, MD, PhD, WashU Medicine radiation oncology resident physician