Our faculty and staff provide exceptional clinical care at Huntsman Cancer Hospital and two community-based sites in Farmington and Sugarhouse. Historically, our department has maintained high national rankings in patient satisfaction. Patients have access to nearly every radiation treatment option available for their cancer, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), brachytherapy (high-dose-rate, interstitial, and eye plaque), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), total body irradiation (TBI), and total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT). The department also has a proton therapy machine, the only one in the Mountain West region.
The physician faculty are members of site-specific multidisciplinary groups at Huntsman Cancer Institute and are nationally recognized experts. Many have leadership roles in groups such as the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and the American Board of Radiology (ABR). Our physics faculty help us deliver sophisticated treatments with the highest quality. Many physicists serve in national organizations such as the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).
There is a strong emphasis on research in the department. Lab-based research efforts include investigating epigenetic mechanisms governing gene expression following exposure to radiation and understanding how to combine novel immunotherapy approaches with radiation therapy to improve systemic immune response. Specific areas of clinical investigation include novel hypo fractionated regimens to reduce treatment times, the use of "big data" to combine clinical information, genomics and radiomics to predict outcomes, and improving cancer care access for disadvantaged groups. We are also studying how disinformation acts as a deterrent to patients seeking oncologic care.
There are tremendous opportunities for collaboration with other investigators at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and the University of Utah. One of my top priorities will be fostering partnerships with folks in other departments to recruit additional scientists who will promote bench to bedside research that will lead to novel clinical trials.
The third part of our mission, educating the next generation of students, residents, and fellows, is also a significant focus of our faculty. Our trainees see the entire spectrum of patient needing radiation therapy, including pediatric and those needing brachytherapy or proton beam therapy. The wide array of clinical experience and research possibilities with engaged mentors provides a strong learning opportunity for the program's medical and physics residents.
Welcome to our website. Further information can also be found at: https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/treatment/radiation-oncology.php.
Please contact our department for further information regarding patient care or our training or research programs.
Sincerely,
Amit Maity, MD, PhD, FASTRO
Professor and Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology