American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
Encyclopedia
ASTRO is the American Society for Radiation Oncology. The largest organization in its field in the world, ASTRO has a membership of over 10,000 covering a range of professions including Radiation Oncologist
, Radiation Therapists, Medical Dosimetrists, Medical Physicists, Radiation Oncology Nurses and Radiation Biologists. Its annual conference is an international forum for developments in the field of Radiation Oncology.
ASTRO publishes the International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology and Physics, also known as the Red Journal, 15 times each year. This is the leading journal in radiation oncology. It is editing by James D. Cox, M.D., FASTRO.
Beginning in 2011, ASTRO will begin publishing Practical Radiation Oncology. Also called PRO, it will be a quarterly journal whose mission is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. This journal will be a natural complement to the Red Journal and aims to be what Medline defines as a clinical or practice journal. These types of journals have as their dominant purpose either documenting the state of current practice, providing background for those in training or the continuing education of practitioners.
In 2009, after 26 years as the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, ASTRO changed its name to the American Society for Radiation Oncology. At that time, ASTRO has also unveiled a new logo that will keep the acronym ASTRO by having the "T" represent ASTRO's tagline, "Targeting Cancer Care." ASTRO made the change because most departments and practices used the term "radiation oncology" to reflect their work using radiation therapy to treat and cure cancer. The Society felt that the term "therapeutic radiology" had become outdated.
Radiation oncologist
A radiation oncologist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of cancer patients, using radiation therapy as the main modality of treatment. Radiation can be given as a curative modality, either alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. It may also be used palliatively, to...
, Radiation Therapists, Medical Dosimetrists, Medical Physicists, Radiation Oncology Nurses and Radiation Biologists. Its annual conference is an international forum for developments in the field of Radiation Oncology.
Publications
ASTRO publishes a weekly electronic newsletter called the ASTROgram and a quarterly magazine called the ASTROnews. Through its dedicated Communications Committee, it also publishes more than a dozen patient brochures in English, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese explaining how radiation therapy is safely and effectively used to treat cancer and other diseases. Print copies of these brochures can be ordered online or downloaded free.ASTRO publishes the International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology and Physics, also known as the Red Journal, 15 times each year. This is the leading journal in radiation oncology. It is editing by James D. Cox, M.D., FASTRO.
Beginning in 2011, ASTRO will begin publishing Practical Radiation Oncology. Also called PRO, it will be a quarterly journal whose mission is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. This journal will be a natural complement to the Red Journal and aims to be what Medline defines as a clinical or practice journal. These types of journals have as their dominant purpose either documenting the state of current practice, providing background for those in training or the continuing education of practitioners.
In 2009, after 26 years as the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, ASTRO changed its name to the American Society for Radiation Oncology. At that time, ASTRO has also unveiled a new logo that will keep the acronym ASTRO by having the "T" represent ASTRO's tagline, "Targeting Cancer Care." ASTRO made the change because most departments and practices used the term "radiation oncology" to reflect their work using radiation therapy to treat and cure cancer. The Society felt that the term "therapeutic radiology" had become outdated.