Radiobiology-guided Innovations in the Integration of Radiation & Immunotherapies

Radiation and immunotherapies are commonly utilized sequentially or concurrently for the treatment of cancer patients, yet we are still developing our understanding of the optimal approaches for safely and effectively integrating these treatments. In many cases, this may require reconsideration of traditional approaches to the dosing and dose heterogeneity, fractionation, targets, and avoidance structures that have commonly been employed by radiation oncologists. Understanding these aspects is critical to the safe and effective integration of radiation and immunotherapies in clinical practice, clinical research, and preclinical research.

This educational activity features clinically-relevant discussion of innovative approaches to improving the efficacy and maintaining the safety of radiation therapy when integrated with the delivery of immunotherapies for patients with metastatic cancers safety based on current scientific and clinical data. Topics include radiation dose and dose heterogeneity, fractionation, target selection, and organs at risk with specific consideration of optimizing systemic anti-tumor immunity.

Topic:

  1. Introduction to Radiation Therapy and Speaker Introductions
    Silvia C. Formenti, MD, FASTRO
  2. Lessons learned from Clinical Trials Integrating Radiation and Immunotherapies
    Robert W. Mutter, MD
  3. Chromosomal Aneuploidy and Predictors of Response to Radiation Therapy in Combination with Immunotherapies
    Sean Pitroda, MD
  4. Impact of the Microbiome on Radiation and Immunotherapy
    Stephen Shiao, MD, PhD
  5. The Effects of Radiation Dose, Dose-Rate, and Dose Heterogeneity on Anti-Tumor Immune Response
    Zachary Morris, MD, PhD
  6. Q and A
    Full Panel

This activity is available from July 23, 2024, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on July 22, 2026. 

This activity was originally recorded at the 2023 ASTRO Annual Meeting.

Target Audience

The activity is designed to meet the interests of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, physicists, nurses, radiation therapists, dosimetrists, radiation biologists and residents.   

Learning Objectives

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

  • Discuss the radiobiological effects of radiation on the development and sustainment of anti-tumor immune responses in the setting of metastatic disease. 
  • Identify innovative approaches that may be considered when seeking to improve the efficacy of radiation therapy in patients who are also receiving immunotherapies for metastatic cancers. 
  • Identify gaps in current understanding of the optimal use of radiation in conjunction with immunotherapy for patients with metastatic disease and discuss potential research opportunities that may help to close those gaps. 
Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 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 for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 1.00 Certificate of Attendance
    This activity was designated for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Course opens: 
07/23/2024
Course expires: 
07/22/2026
Cost:
$149.00
Rating: 
0
  • Silvia Chiara Formenti, MD, FASTRO, is employed by Cornell University and the Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Formenti receives consulting honoraria from AstraZeneca, Genentech/Roche, Bayer, BMS, Varian, ViewRay, Elekta, Janssen, Regeneron, GlaxoSmithKline, Eisai, MedImmune, Merck US, and EMD Serono. Dr. Formenti receives grant/research funding from Varian, Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron, Merck, Celldex and Arcus. Dr. Formenti is a member of the AACR Board of Directors, a member of the Medical Advisory Council of the Chemotherapy Foundation, and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board with the American Italian Cancer Foundation. 
  • Robert W. Mutter, MD, is employed by Mayo Clinic Rochester. Dr. Mutter is Co-Chair of the Breast Subcommittee of PTCOG. 
  • Sean P. Pitroda, MD, is employed by University of Chicago. Dr. Pitroda is Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of PersonaDx. Dr. Pitroda holds multiple patents derived from research with the University of Chicago. 
  • Stephen L. Shiao, MD, PhD, is employed by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Shiao receives grant/research funding from Merck, 4D Medical, Pinnacle Biologics, Abbvie, Incyte, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Boston Scientific. Dr. Shiao serves as Vice Chair for the ASTRO Scientific Review Committee, Chair of the VA ONCC Review Panel, and is Co-Leader of the Experimental Therapeutic Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center. 
  • Zachary Scott Morris, MD, PhD, is employed by University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Morris receives compensation and stock options from Archeus Technologies, Seneca Therapeutics and NorthStar Medical Isotopes. Dr. Morris receives grant/research funding from Seneca Therapeutics, Archeus Technologies, XRad Therapeutics, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, BMS, Point Biopharmaceuticals, Invenra, Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Nektar Therapeutics, Apeiron, and Telix Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Morris holds numerous patents related to radiation therapy through the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.   

The person(s) above served as the developer(s) of this activity. Additionally, the Education Committee had control over the content of this activity. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated..

Disclosure link: 
ASTRO Education Committee

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

  • 1.00 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 for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • 1.00 Certificate of Attendance
    This activity was designated for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Price

Cost:
$149.00
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: $149
Member: $99
Member-in-training: $49
Student/Grad Student/PGY: $49
Postdoctoral Fellow: $49

If you are an ASTRO member from a low or lower-middle income country, as identified by the World Bank, you can receive a 50% discount off your corresponding registration for this activity. Please email [email protected] to inquire about the discount.

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 July 22, 2026, 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.