Providing Equitable Care to Pregnant Patients

Each year in the U.S., thousands of pregnant people will be diagnosed with cancer and face the need for radiotherapy. Radiation oncologists must help patients through difficult decisions which balance the risks of radiation treatment to both patient and potential fetus against the benefits of delivering timely, standard-of-care treatment. Even in the best of circumstances, it is difficult to navigate this complex situation and ensure optimal health care services are provided without introducing disparities in care. This activity features a multidisciplinary panel – spanning radiation oncology, gynecology, and medical physics – that provides varied perspectives and resources for evaluating and treating pregnant cancer patients. Key topics include case studies, practical resources for delivering patient-centered care, and strategies for shared decision-making. Attendees also learn about potential barriers to equitable care and recommendations for reducing disparities. This activity also brings focus to the patient experience with a video appearance from a patient advocate who was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant; she shares her personal journey and highlights the ways pregnancy impacted her care. By addressing clinical and patient-centered perspectives, this activity aims to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to provide equitable, evidence-based care for pregnant cancer patients.

Topics:

  1. An Introduction to Cancer and Pregnancy
    Laura Bozzuto, MD, MS
  2. Patient-Centered Care and Shared Decision Making with Pregnant Patients 
    Rachel Newman, MD, MBA
  3. Delivering Equitable Care for Pregnant Patients
    Kelly Kisling, PhD, MS
  4. Case Studies and Radiation Recommendations
    Suzanne B. Evans, MD, MPH, FASTRO
  5. Q and A
    Titania Juang, PhD – Moderator
    Full Panel

This activity is available from April 14, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on April 13, 2028. 

The content was originally presented and recorded at the 2025 ASTRO Annual Meeting.

Target Audience

The activity is designed to meet the interests of medical oncologists, physicists, diagnostic radiologists, radiation therapists and radiation dosimetrists.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Implement current guidelines for imaging and treating pregnant patients with radiotherapy.
  • Identify barriers to providing equitable care to pregnant patients.
  • Identify sources for patient pregnancy counseling and management and explain the importance of shared decision-making with pregnant patients. 
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education for physicians. ASTRO designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.25 Certificate of Attendance
    This activity was designated for 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Course opens: 
04/14/2026
Course expires: 
04/13/2028
Cost:
$0.00
Rating: 
0

Moderator: 

  • Titania Juang, PhD, is employed by University of California San Diego. Dr. Juang has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.   

Speakers: 

  • Laura Bozzuto, MD, MS, is employed by University of Wisconsin. Dr. Bozzuto has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
  • Rachel Newman, MD, MBA, is employed by UTHealth Houston. Dr. Newman has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
  • Kelly Kisling, PhD, MS, is employed by University of California San Diego. Dr. Kisling receives honoraria and travel expenses from Varian Medical Systems. 
  • Suzanne B. Evans, MD, MPH, FASTRO, is employed by Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Evans has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.  

Planners: 

  • Malcolm Mattes, MD is employed at Rutgers Cancer Institute. Dr. Mattes received research/grant funding from Gilead Sciences (relationship ended 8/30/2025). Dr. Mattes has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies. 
  • Parul Barry, MD, is employed by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Barry has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies. 
  • Michael Haddock, MD, is employed by Mayo Clinic and has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
  • Manisha Palta, MD, is employed by Duke Cancer Center and Duke University Hospital. Dr. Palta receives grant/research funding from Merck and Varian Medical Systems. 
  • Salma Jabbour, MD, is employed by Rutgers Cancer Institute. Dr. Jabbour receives grant/research funding from Merck & Co., Inc. and Beigene. Dr. Jabbour receives compensation/payment as a consultant with Radialogica and IMX Medical. 

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Available Credit

  • 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education for physicians. ASTRO designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

  • 1.25 Certificate of Attendance
    This activity was designated for 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.

Course Fees:
ASTRO members must log in to the ASTRO website to view and receive the member rate.

  • Nonmember: $0
  • Member: $0
  • Member-in-Training: $0
  • Student/Graduate Student/PGY-1 Member: $0
  • Postdoctoral Fellow Member: $0

Policies:
No refunds, extensions, or substitutions will be made for those participants who, for any reason, have not completed the activity by the expiration date. 

Participants using ASTRO Academy activities to satisfy the requirement of a Continuing Certification (MOC) program should verify the credit number and type and availability dates of any activity before making a purchase. No refunds, extensions, or substitutions will be made for participants who have purchased activities that do not align with their MOC requirement.

The activity and its materials will only be available on the ASTRO website until April 13, 2028, regardless of purchase date. At the expiration of the activity, participants will no longer have access to the activity or its materials. ASTRO reserves the right to remove an activity before its expiration date. 

Required Hardware/software

One of the two latest versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari.