Radiotherapy for the Management of Non-Oncologic Diseases: How to Treat and Why It Works

Although radiotherapy is a well-established treatment modality for both solid and liquid tumors, its utility in the management of benign diseases remains poorly elucidated. In general, oncologists and non-oncologic specialists in the U.S. are quite unfamiliar with the potential indications of radiotherapy for managing benign etiologies. While radiation has been used in the prophylaxis of heterotopic ossification since the 1980s, its benefit has been recently explored for other benign conditions [1-7]. The anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory effects of ionizing radiation may serve as an effective treatment modality for benign soft tissue disorders such as hypertrophic scar tissue (keloids), Dupuytren’s contractures, osteoarthritis and fibromatosis. Radiation therapy has demonstrated a role in the treatment of various neurological disorders to relieve pain (i.e., trigeminal neuralgia), and even to modify structural abnormalities (i.e., obliterate brain arteriovenous malformations). In epileptic patients who have exhausted pharmacologic and surgical options for controlling their seizures, radiation has proven to be an effective noninvasive therapeutic option. SBRT is a noninvasive technique that has gained traction for its efficacy in patients with ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation who are refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs and/or ablation. More studies are needed to better understand the indications for radiotherapy in benign conditions, as well as the dose and fractionation, treatment targets and organs at risk, and potential long-term toxicities. With widespread adoption of hypofractionated radiation regimens in the academic and community setting, a broader patient population may derive benefit.

Topics:

  1. Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radiotherapy (STAR) for Ventricular Tachycardia
    Phillip Cuculich, MD
  2. Peri-Articular Disorders
    Nagendra (Bobby) S. Koneru, MD, FASTRO
  3. From Ablation to Neuromodulation: Unraveling the Mechanisms of Radiosurgery in Non-Malignant CNS Disorders
    Evan Marshall Thomas, MD, PhD

This activity is available from February 24, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on February 23, 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 radiation oncologists, surgeons, physicists, nurses, radiation therapists, radiation dosimetrists, biologists, residents, PCP's and non-oncologists.

Learning Objectives

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

  • Identify specific clinical situations where radiotherapy is an effective treatment for benign diseases.
  • Define therapeutic radiation doses and fractionation schedules, organs at risk, and sequencing with surgery (when indicated).  
  • Discuss the pathophysiology of these benign conditions, and the biologic mechanisms that lead to an effective response from radiotherapy. 
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: 
02/24/2026
Course expires: 
02/23/2028
Cost:
$149.00
Rating: 
0

Moderator: 

  • Kathryn E. Dusenbery, MD, is employed by University of Minnesota. Dr. Dusenbery has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.    

Speakers: 

  • Phillip Cuculich, MD, is employed by Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. Dr. Cuculich receives compensation/payment from Siemens Healthineers/Varian Medical Systems and Medtronic. 
  • Nagendra (Bobby) S. Koneru, MD, FASTRO, is employed by Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Koneru has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose. 
  • Evan Marshall Thomas, MD, PhD, is employed by The Renaissance Institute of Precision Oncology and Radiosurgery. Dr. Thomas 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:
$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/Graduate Student/PGY-1 Member: $49
  • Postdoctoral Fellow Member: $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 February 23, 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. 

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