Format and Objectives

Program Description

ASTRO’S Annual Meeting is the premier radiation oncology scientific event in the world and draws more than 11,000 attendees each year. During the 2020 Annual Meeting we will showcase the unique ability of radiation to cure cancer. We will emphasize new scientific discoveries and how to translate these new findings into clinical applications, and opportunities for cure. The meeting program will continue to spotlight the importance of palliation and supportive care.

The scientific program is the ideal platform to bring together clinicians, scientists and researchers from all oncology disciplines to exchange ideas, promote multidisciplinary care and address the educational and professional development interests of our attendees. Scientific and educational sessions will cover specific clinical areas including breast, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, gynecologic, head and neck, immunotherapy, lymphoma, musculoskeletal, pediatric, sarcoma and thoracic cancers.

Radiation biology and radiation physics concepts will be explored in their own tracks. The Annual Meeting will feature a continued emphasis on patient quality and safety issues in the delivery of radiation therapy in the areas of treatment techniques, equipment, terminology and professional responsibilities. Program content has been designed to address specific, documented and clinically important practice gaps in physician knowledge, competence and performance.

Program Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

• Examine the advances in radiation oncology technology that help improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
• Employ quality and safety measures in the delivery of radiation therapy.
• Demonstrate the value of radiation oncology to patients, referring physicians and the public.

Elements of Competence

The Annual Meeting program has been designed to narrow the competency gaps of patient/patient-centered care, medical knowledge, evidence-based practice, interpersonal skills and communication, practice-based learning and improvement, work in interdisciplinary teams, quality improvement, professionalism, professional standing and commitment to lifelong learning, eleven of the fifteen core competencies embraced by the American Board of Medical Specialties, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the Institute of Medicine.

Target Audience

This continuing medical education activity is designed to meet the interests of radiation oncologists, radiation oncology residents, radiation biologists, radiation physicists, dosimetrists, oncologists working in related specialties, radiation therapists, radiation oncology nurses, radiation oncology administrators, diagnostic radiologists and all other health professionals involved in the field of radiation oncology.

Disclosure of Vested Interest

ASTRO is an accredited provider of continuing medical education. Since our accreditation is important to us, we plan activities that are compliant with the ACCME and the content or format of CME activities and related materials will promote improvements or quality in health care and not a specific proprietary business interest or commercial bias. Planning Committee members and speakers are required to disclose the existence of any financial or other relationship with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) or provider(s) of any commercial services discussed in an educational presentation.

Any conflicts of interest are resolved prior to participation. In addition to written disclosure, presenters will disclose any vested interest or their intention to discuss off-label use of pharmaceuticals or devices, if applicable, to the audience at the beginning of their presentation and in accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education standards and the Food and Drug Administration requirements.

In an effort to increase transparency and easy access to all disclosures, faculty, committee and planner disclosure information will be available online for the 2020 Annual Meeting. In addition, disclosure slides will be shown at the beginning of each session and in the Online Conference Planner and MyASTROapp. Disclosure information will not be printed in paper versions of the meeting materials.

View the 2020 Annual Meeting planner, faculty, abstract presenter and abstract reviewer disclosure of relationships.

Disclaimer

ASTRO is committed to the free exchange of medical education. Inclusion of any presentation in this program, including presentations of off-label uses, does not imply an endorsement by ASTRO of the uses, products or techniques presented.