Join Us for ASTRO 2026 in Boston

I am excited to welcome you to the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), taking place September 26-30 in historic Boston. Boston offers a rich and stimulating environment for this year's meeting, and we've worked closely with the city council and mayor's office to ensure a welcoming and safe experience for all attendees.

I'm especially looking forward to reconnecting with colleagues from across the globe, and to learning from an impressive roster of speakers, presenters and researchers who will be featured in nearly 200 sessions. We also have several special events and new opportunities to make the most of your ASTRO 2026 experience, including:

• Welcome Kickoff at Citizens House of Blues Boston on Saturday night
• Presidential Science Poster Session Showcase featuring expert faculty and Exhibit Hall Networking Reception
• Quick Pitch Research Highlights from Around the Globe
• Gold Medal Gala to benefit Speed of Light – The ASTRO Foundation

Critical Conversations – Data to Dialogue: Communicating Radiotherapy's Value to Advance Cancer Care

Numerous developments are impacting our field and the delivery of care, and we need to be proactive in shaping the future we want rather than reacting to it. This meeting offers opportunities to discuss developing areas and how to prepare for them, including using AI technology for data-driven and personalized radiotherapy and optimizing social media and other messaging platforms to demystify and deliver accurate information on radiation science. Here are a couple of sessions on these topics:

• International 02 – ASTRO/ESTRO Session: Adoption of AI Tools and Technologies: Present and Future Impact on Clinical Care Delivery
• EDU 51 – Mythbusting Radiation Oncology: Communicating the Truth and Value of Radiotherapy to the Public, Patients, Providers and Policymakers
• EDU 12 – Measuring and Communicating the Value of Radiation Oncology

Presidential Symposium: Delving into various areas of the meeting theme

This year's Presidential Symposium embodies the meeting's theme examining the critical steps to communicating the value of what we do, including: highlighting unique aspects of the treatment we offer our patients; leveraging the various means of information dissemination in the modern era; appreciating the perspectives of patients and caregivers; and understanding how various stakeholders view our specialty.

The four-part symposium will tackle each of the above with a star-studded lineup of speakers:

1. Organ-Preservation: The Undersung Value of RT Moderator: Vivek S. Kavadi, MD, MBA, FASTRO, ASTRO CEO
2. Challenges and Opportunities in Scientific Knowledge Creation and Dissemination Moderator: Sue Yom, MD, FASTRO, University of California San Francisco
3. Patients' Perceptions of Radiation Therapy Moderator: Drew Moghanaki, MD, MPH, FASTRO, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
4. Stakeholder Perspectives Moderators: Casey Chollet-Lipscomb, MD, FASTRO, Tennessee Oncology; Curtiland Deville, MD, FASTRO, Johns Hopkins University

Keynote Addresses from visionary and stalwart leaders of healthcare

We are thrilled to feature two extraordinary keynote speakers whose perspectives will help inform us on the broader healthcare environment and various issues impacting health policy today and in the future.

Monday, September 28: From his extensive experience as an oncologist, health policy advisor, bioethicist, author, and renowned educator, Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, will share his perspectives in an engaging talk entitled "The American Care Compact: Goals for Future American Healthcare Reform".

Tuesday, September 29: Scott Gottlieb, MD, will offer insights from his unique expertise, most notably, former commissioner of the FDA, in a lively moderated dialogue exploring the economic drivers, technological forces, and current and emerging trends driving transformation in healthcare.

Consistent with the ASTRO 2026 theme of "Data to Dialogue", our two dynamic keynote speakers are healthcare visionaries whose careers have shaped — and continue to define — the concept of value in modern healthcare. I am hopeful that hearing from voices outside of our field will serve to strengthen and inform each of our roles within radiation oncology.

We're counting the days to seeing you all in Boston! Each of your contributions matters, whether you're presenting, attending, mentoring and/or connecting with colleagues and friends. We know it's not easy to travel and take time away from work, so thank you for making the time to be part of ASTRO 2026 — it will be a highly engaging, educational and enjoyable experience!