Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Forward
The Bioethics of Radiation Oncology: Challenging Clinical Cases
This activity is a case-based session with the goal of enhancing participants’ understanding of the moral theories underlying bioethics, and applying these theories to clinical cases that are relevant to radiation oncologists. We start with the classic “trolley” problem, asking participants (through the ARS system) if they would pull a switch to divert the path of a trolley from its current course that would kill five people to an alternate route that would kill only one. We follow this with a brief discussion of utilitarianism, evaluating its strengths and limitations as a moral theory. To demonstrate one of the limitations, i.e., that focusing on the best outcome for the largest number of people can lead to denial of individual rights, we show variations of the trolley problem, for example if the one person on the alternate track is a family member rather than a stranger. We then move on to the well-known four principles of bioethics, i.e., a) respect for autonomy b) beneficence c) non-maleficence and d) justice. We explain these principles, while highlighting that “Principlism” is the most widely used, but only one of many available moral systems. With this background we use audience input paired with discussion from expert panelists on three clinical scenarios that involve ethical issues including: 1) informed consent and surrogacy in decision making, 2) medical futility, and 3) rationing of limited resources and moral distress.
Topics:
- Introduction to Ethics Principles
Harvey J. Mamon, MD, PhD, FASTRO - Informed Refusal
Subha Perni, MD - Reproductive Ethics
Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil, FASTRO - Futility and End-of-Life Care
Bruce Haffty, MD, FASTRO - Q and A
Harvey J. Mamon, MD, PhD, FASTRO - Moderator
Full Panel
This activity is available from July 21, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on July 20, 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, radiation oncologists, surgeons, physicists, nurses, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, radiation therapists, radiation dosimetrists, radiation biologists and residents.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Apply the four core principles of bioethics to the clinical practice of radiation oncology.
- Recognize moral distress and moral residue in both patients and providers; develop a strategy for minimizing or managing these challenges, particularly around issues of informed consent, medical futility and resource allocation.
- Identify available institutional and regulatory resources to assist with resolving and adjudicating ethical dilemmas in the clinic that most impact patients and providers.
Moderator:
- Harvey J. Mamon, MD, PhD, FASTRO, is employed by Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Mamon has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
Speakers:
- Subha Perni, MD, is employed by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the NIH and University of Michigan. Dr. Perni has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
- Reshma Jagsi, MD, PhD, FASTRO, is employed by Emory University, Winship Cancer Institute. Dr. Jagsi has no relevant financial relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
- Bruce G. Haffty, MD, FASTRO, is employed by Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Dr. Haffty 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
- 1.00 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 Enduring material 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 AttendanceThis activity was designated for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Price
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 July 20, 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.