Experts across Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute and Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute will present new radiation oncology research and clinical expertise at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), September 26-30, 2026, in Boston. The presentations will highlight emerging approaches in MR-guided adaptive radiation therapy, radiopharmaceutical therapy, proton therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and treatment timing across a range of complex cancers.

The research spans several areas of significant clinical need, including brain metastases, prostate cancer, pancreaticobiliary cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, anal cancer, and pediatric and young adult lymphoma. Among the studies are analyses of PSMA PET-derived biomarkers in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, early intracranial radiotherapy for breast cancer brain metastases, ablative MR-guided adaptive radiotherapy for anatomically challenging tumors, and outcomes following proton craniospinal irradiation for solid tumor leptomeningeal metastasis.

“ASTRO is an important forum for advancing the science and clinical practice of radiation oncology,” said Minesh P. Mehta, M.D., deputy director and chief of radiation oncology at Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute. “The research our team is presenting reflects the breadth of innovation taking place across our program, from adaptive treatment planning and proton therapy to radiopharmaceuticals and stereotactic approaches for patients with complex disease. Most importantly, these studies are focused on questions that can directly inform how we deliver safer, more precise, and more effective care.”

Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute researchers will have four oral and 17 poster presentations, and participate in four educational sessions at ASTRO 2026:

Oral Presentations

Monday, September 28, 2026

Baseline PSMA PET-Derived SUV mean as a Prognostic Factor for Lesion-Level Metabolic Response to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 In Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Presenter: Nikolai Strusberg, M.D.

Time: 11:25 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. ET

Location: TBD

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Timing May Matter: Early Intracranial Radiotherapy Associated with Improved Survival in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases

Presenter: Mishaal Munir, M.D., MBBS, BSC

Time: 01:10 p.m. – 01:20 p.m. ET

Location: TBD 

SBRT for Pancreaticobiliary Cancer, a SOFT Hand or a Lethal Blow?

Discussant: Michael Chuong, M.D.

Time: 03:15 p.m. – 03:25 p.m. ET

Location: TBD

Advances in the Treatment of Brain Metastases

Discussant: Minesh Mehta, M.D., M.B., Ch.B., FASTRO

Time: 03:15 p.m. – 03:25 p.m. ET

Location: TBD

Poster Presentations

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Ablative Stereotactic MR-Guided Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Anatomically Unfavorable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Presenter: Kavita Sehrawat, M.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2208

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Dosimetric Evaluation of Ablative Stereotactic MR-Guided Adaptive Radiation Therapy for Anatomically Unfavorable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Presenter: Tatiana Bejarano, Ph.D., M.S.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2014

Location: Exhibit Hall  

Evaluating Tumor Growth and Dosimetric Under-Coverage Due to Delays in Brain Metastasis Radiosurgery

Presenter: Eyub Akdemir, M.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2002

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Investigation of the Subcutaneous-to-Visceral Fat Ratio as a Prognostic Biomarker for Survival after Ablative MR-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer

Presenter: Naseem Ud Din, Ph.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2107

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Practice Patterns in Imaging, Contouring and Dosimetric Reporting for Intracranial Brachytherapy Using Collagen-Based Cs-131: Results from a U.S. Multi-Center Survey

Presenter: Vibha Chaswal, Ph.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2030

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Predictors of Outcomes Following Proton Craniospinal Irradiation for Solid Tumor Leptomeningeal Metastasis

Presenter: Eyub Akdemir, M.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2003

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Radiation Dose to Gluteus Maximus and Fecal Incontinence after Radiotherapy to Anal Cancer

Presenter: Kavita Sehrawat, M.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2207

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Smaller Radial Margins in Superficial Radiotherapy Patients Using Reflectance Confocal Microscopy

Presenter: Noah Kalman, M.D., MBA

Time: 04:00 p.m. – 05:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2336

Location: Exhibit Hall A 

Thyroid, Cardiac and Pulmonary Function Abnormalities Following Consolidative Radiotherapy in Pediatric and Young Adult Hodgkin and Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma Patients

Presenter: Katherine von Werne, MSN

Time: 04:00 p.m. – 05:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2392

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Monday, September 28, 2026

Clinical Drivers of Recurrent Failure Modes in Radiation Oncology Identified through a Retrospective Mini-FMEA CQI Framework

Presenter: Vibha Chaswal, Ph.D.

Time: 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2421

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Cumulative EQD Dose Reporting from an Adaptive Reirradiation Phase I Trial of Ablative 5-Fraction Stereotactic MR-Guided Radiotherapy for Abdominal and Pelvic Tumors

Presenter: Kathryn Mittauer, Ph.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2806

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Does Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy Reduce Clinical Hypothyroidism after Supraclavicular Irradiation for Breast Cancer?

Presenter: Nikolai Strusberg, M.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2831

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Ablative Single-Fraction Stereotactic MR-Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy from the Multi-Center Phase 2 SMART ONE Trial

Presenter: Michael Chuong, M.D.

Time: 03:00 p.m. – 04:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2719

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Dosimetric Assessment of an MR-Only Bulk Electron Density Workflow In Stereotactic MR-Guided Adaptive Radiation Therapy (SMART) for Adrenal Metastases

Presenter: Tatiana Bejarano, Ph.D., M.S.

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 01:45 p.m. ET

Poster #: 2950

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Quantifying the Impact of Intrafraction Patient Motion on Target Coverage in Frameless Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery Using CBCT-Derived Rigid Transformations

Presenter: Naseem Ud Din, Ph.D.

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 01:45 p.m. ET

Poster #: 3154

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) for Localized Prostate Cancer: Disease Control Outcomes in Intermediate to Very-High Risk Patients

Presenter: Marcio Fagundes, M.D.

Time: 02:15 p.m. – 03:30 p.m. ET

Poster #: 3265

Location: Exhibit Hall A 

Real-World Evidence on the Impact of Adjuvant Radiation Timing for HPV Related Oropharyngeal Cancer in a Nationwide Cohort

Presenter: Sreenija Yarlagadda, M.D.

Time: 03:45 p.m. – 05:00 p.m. ET

Poster #: 3678

Location: Exhibit Hall A

Educational Sessions

Saturday, September 26, 2026

The Role of External Beam Radiation When Delivering Radiopharmaceutical Therapy

Speaker: Adeel Kaiser, M.D.

Time: 09:37 a.m. – 09:57 a.m. ET

Location: TBD

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Contemporary Evidence-Based Approaches for the Management of Radiation Necrosis

Speaker: Rupesh Kotecha, M.D.

Time: 05:17 p.m. – 05:32 p.m. ET

Location: TBD

Monday, September 28, 2026

Omission of Axillary Staging in the De-escalation of Therapy for Select Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Speaker: Youssef Zeidan, M.D., Ph.D.

Time: 05:02 p.m. – 05:17 p.m.

Location: TBD

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

ASTRO GI Guideline Session: Radiation Therapy for Gastric Cancer and Pancreatic Cancer: A Case-Based Interactive Discussion

Speaker: Michael Chuong, M.D.

Time: 01:02 p.m. – 01:32 p.m. ET

Location: TBD 

For updates from the ASTRO 2026 Annual Meeting, look for #ASTRO2026 on social media and follow Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute on X at @MiamiCancerInst.

About Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute

Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida, delivers access to personalized clinical treatments and comprehensive support services with unparalleled compassion. No other cancer program in the region has the combination of cancer-fighting expertise and advanced technology—including the first proton therapy center in South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean, and one of the only radiation oncology programs in the world with each of the newest radiation therapies in one place—to diagnose and deliver precise cancer treatments that achieve the best outcomes and improve the lives of cancer patients. The Institute offers an impressive roster of established community oncologists and renowned experts, clinical researchers and genomic scientists recruited from the nation’s top cancer centers. Selected as Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer (MSK) Alliance, Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute is part of a meaningful clinical collaboration that affords patients in South Florida access to innovative treatments and ensures that the standards of care developed by their multidisciplinary disease management teams match those at MSK. For more information, please visit here.