Adaptive Treatment and Other Advances May Drive Radiotherapy Field Forward

In a discussion with CancerNetwork®, Louis Potters, MD, FASTRO, FABS, FACR, highlighted the next potential advances in radiation oncology that may improve outcomes for patients and drive the field forward. He spoke in the context of a new agreement between Lumonus and Northwell Health’s Smarter Radiation Oncology (SRO). Through this arrangement, collaborators seek to combine Lumonus’ artificial intelligence physician platform for streamlining administrative tasks with SRO’s consensus-based treatment protocols for optimizing the use of radiotherapy.

Potters, senior vice president, deputy physician in chief, and chair of the Department of Radiation Medicine at Northwell Health Cancer Institute and a radiation oncology editorial advisory board member for ONCOLOGY, noted the emergence of adaptive radiotherapy as a potential “paradigm change” in the specialty. Although the modality is still in its infancy, he stated that he is a “believer” in the efficiencies it may provide.

Additionally, Potters highlighted potential developments in the field based on research that was presented at the 2025 American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California. Of note, he described how radiation medicine may have a growing role in nonmalignant indications such as osteoarthritis and cardiac arrhythmias.

Transcript:

Within radiation oncology, there is a huge number of initiatives that are exciting and driving the field forward. Outside of everything that we’ve just been talking about, the whole concept of adaptive radiation therapy and being able to plan patients based on their anatomy daily does represent a paradigm change for the specialty. We are still in its infancy in terms of being able to provide this service and understand the efficiencies associated with it, as well as the clinical outcomes. I’m a believer in that aspect going forward.

There are other things within radiation oncology, in the context of radiation medicine, coming out of the recent ASTRO meeting in terms of nonmalignant indications.... Between osteoarthritis, cardiac arrhythmias, and a host of other conditions, this represents an exciting opportunity going forward for the specialty.

Reference

Lumonus announces transformative multi-year licensing agreement with Smarter Radiation Oncology to bring evidenced-based directives to U.S. cancer centers. News release. Northwell Health; Lumonus. September 29, 2025. Accessed October 14, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/2s3wpsh7