On February 4, World Cancer Day invites the global cancer community to reflect on progress made — and on the work that still lies ahead to ensure that every patient can benefit from high-quality cancer care.

Radiation oncology has evolved profoundly over recent years. Advances in the understanding of cancer biology, imaging, radiotherapy planning and artificial intelligence now allow precision treatment, personalized to each patient, each tumor and each clinical situation. For many patients, modern radiation oncology contributes decisively to cure, disease control and preservation of quality of life. This is true both when radiotherapy is practiced alone and when it’s combined with systemic therapy or surgery.

Today’s radiotherapy is a far more precise, effective and patient-centered treatment than ever before. For many patients and types of cancers, radiotherapy can achieve cure while avoiding surgical removal of the involved organ and preserving function. Yet public perception has not always kept pace with this scientific and clinical progress. This disconnect has consequences. Outdated perceptions of radiotherapy influence patient expectations, decision making and acceptance of treatment. At a broader level, they can contribute to underestimation of radiation oncology’s role within health systems, affecting support for research, infrastructure planning and equitable access to the latest technologies. Ultimately, patients may be deprived of a treatment that could significantly improve their outcomes.

On this World Cancer Day, the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) together call for greater awareness of what today’s radiotherapy offers to patients and the global health care system: a cornerstone of modern, multidisciplinary cancer care, grounded in precision, personalization and continuous innovation. Radiation oncology is a highly dynamic field that continues to evolve through research, technological progress and close collaboration among clinicians, scientists, physicists, biologists, radiation therapists and industry partners.

As the leading scientific societies for radiation oncology, ASTRO and ESTRO are committed to advancing excellence in research, education and clinical practice, and to advocating for equitable access to high-quality cancer care across the U.S., Europe and globally. Through scientific congresses, targeted workshops and growing portfolios of educational programs, ASTRO and ESTRO equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver evidence-based, state-of-the-art radiotherapy worldwide. Every patient, regardless of geography or health care setting, should have access to personalized, high-precision radiotherapy delivered by well-trained teams and supported by appropriate infrastructure.

Raising awareness is not only about changing perceptions; it is about enabling informed decisions by patients, health care professionals and policymakers alike. On World Cancer Day, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the remarkable progress achieved in radiation oncology is fully recognized, fully supported and fully accessible — for the benefit of all people with cancer worldwide. Together, as a professional community, we can ensure that innovation in radiation oncology translates into real, equitable benefits for every patient.

Neha Vapiwala, MD, FASTRO
President, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)

Matthias Guckenberger, MD
President, European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO)

ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world’s largest professional society dedicated to advancing radiation oncology, with 10,000 members including physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other professionals who work to improve patient outcomes through clinical care, research, education and policy advocacy. Radiation therapy is integral to 40% of cancer cures worldwide, and more than one million Americans receive radiation treatments for their cancer each year. For information on radiation therapy, visit RTAnswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website and media center and connect with us on social media.