Astro Journals

Cancer patients often ring a bell to commemorate the end of treatment – but until now, the many effects of ringing the bell have not been studied. Patrick Williams, MD and Richard Jennelle, MD, authors of "The Cancer Bell: Too Much of a Good Thing?" discuss their recent article and the surprising results reported within. Psychologist Dr. Andrea Bonior talks about ways that emotional arousal and individual patient desires can factor into the memory of treatment distress. Cancer survivor Valerie Powell tells her story of ringing the bell, what it meant to her at the time, and how she looks back on that experience now.

Issue Highlights January 1, 2020

December 1, Issue Highlights Podcast

November 15, Issue Highlights Podcast

Dr. Danielle Margalit of Dana-Farber Cancer Center interviews Dr. Sue Yom from University of California – San Francisco and Dr. Beth Beadle from Stanford University. This podcast features research being presented for head and neck cancers at the ASTRO Annual Meeting. The ASTRO Annual Meeting podcasts feature attendees highlighting the most exciting and impactful work being presented in specific disease sites. The ASTRO Annual Meeting podcasts are produced in partnership with the Red Journal. Music by D. Tegbaru, used with permission.

November 1, Issue Highlights Podcast

Dr. Tim Kruser, corresponding author of "Radiation Oncologists' Role in End-of-Life Care: A Perspective From Medical Oncologists," talks about the methods of the study, the value of qualitative data, and how challenging results can be used to improve the situation for patients. Dr. Louis Potters, one of the authors of a commentary written in reply addresses some of his concerns about how medical oncologists perceive radiation oncologists, as well as how to move forward as a specialty with this study in mind. Music by D. Tegbaru, used with permission.

ASTRO Health Policy Analyst Jessica Adams interviews Dr. Michael Roach and Dr. Najeeb Mohideen about their payment policy articles in the July 15 edition. Learn more about payment policy and how procedure codes are developed.

Dr. David Palma from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research interviews Dr. Daniel Gomez of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This podcast features research thoracic and lung cancer research being presented at the ASTRO Annual Meeting. The ASTRO Annual Meeting podcasts feature attendees highlighting the most exciting and impactful work being presented in specific disease sites. The ASTRO Annual Meeting podcasts are produced in partnership with the Red Journal. Music by D. Tegbaru, used with permission.

October 1, Issue Highlights Podcast

Narrative Oncology editor Ben Corn, MD interviews Frank Meyskens, Jr., MD, FACP, author of the recently published poem "Abscopal Outcomes: Reflections on Distant Effects." Dr. Corn initiates uplifting discussion on restoring hopefulness in everyday interactions with patients and colleagues in the field of radiation oncology. Dr. Meyskens also discusses the importance of the arts in medicine, how he got started with poetry, and one of the patients that impacted him most. Music by D. Tegbaru, used with permission.

September 1, Issue Highlights Podcast

Anthony D'Amico, MD, PhD, FASTRO shares a recording of a moving story that he recounted to students at Harvard Medical School who are also enrolled in his Tae Kwon Do class. Music by D. Tegbaru, used with permission.

August 1, 2019, Issue Highlights Podcast

July 15, 2019, Issue Highlights Podcast

July 1, 2019, Issue Highlights Podcast

Join PRO Executive Editor Suzanne Evans and negotiation and ethics professor Daylian Cain as they discuss their recent article “Why Smart Oncology Clinicians do Dumb Things: A Review of Cognitive Bias in Radiation Oncology.” The article identifies many common biases in the field, factors that increase our susceptibility to bias and ways that we can combat cognitive biases. The authors explain the concepts of metacognition as well as strategies to improve our critical thinking such as "taking the opposite," "summarize aloud" and "prospective hindsight." Music by D. Tegbaru, used with permission.

June 1, 2019, Issue Highlights Podcast

May 1, 2019, Issue Highlights Podcast

In the first podcast in a series on prior authorization, ASTRO Health Policy Analyst Jessica Adams interviews Dr. Apar Gupta, MD, MBA, lead author of a paper recently accepted in the Red Journal. The study investigates prior authorization denial rates and associated treatment delays for proton beam therapy. The study also addresses possible predictors for denial and if denials aligned with the ASTRO model policy for proton beam therapy. Dr. Gupta provides perspective on how prior authorization affects all radiation therapy and how radiation oncologists can get involved individually and through ASTRO.