University of Maryland School of Medicine

Radiation Oncology

Professor and Chair:
William F. Regine, MD

Radiation Oncology is a speciality devoted to the treatment of benign and malignant tumors. Fifty-eight percent of all cancer patients will at some point during their disease need or be eligible for radiation therapy. Fifty percent of all patients being treated in the department are being treated for a cure. Approximately 30 percent of patients treated for a cure are being treated with radiation therapy as a sole method of treatment and as the method of choice to achieve a cure.

Cancer is a complex disease. The modern and also the best approach to treating this disease is multi-modality therapy. Evidence suggests that this approach to cancer offers a patient the greatest chance of survival. This requires a multi-disciplinary approach to the evaluation and treatment. Emphasis will be placed on the principles of radiation oncology, radiation biology, and radiation physics. The student will be taught to value the importance of the combined modality approach through lectures, actual case presentation, demonstrations and participation in new patient and follow-up clinics. The student uniquely will receive experience in the examination and diagnosis of physical findings associated with the pathology of malignant diseases. There will be teaching in the areas of tumor pathology, biology, and behavior. The student will be made aware of the role of radiation oncology and the indications for its use in the management of patients with cancer.

Research Interests

Departmental research efforts are focused upon many areas of oncology. The use of radiation as a systemic treatment agent, brachytherapy, hyperthermia, neuro-oncology, stereotaxis, conformal therapy, 3-D treatment planning, CT simulation, microcirculation of tumors, tumor microenvironment, molecular oncobiology and fractionation schemes represent several departmental research interests.

Department of Radiation Oncology Ranks Sixth in the Nation for Research Funding

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Undergraduate Medical Program

Third Year

During a three-week rotation through Radiology, Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, students will spend three days in Radiation Oncology. A series of lectures and demonstrations familiarize students with the principles of the specialty. Students also participate in conferences, clinics and direct patient management.

Fourth Year

Elective in Radiation Therapy. Students interested in oncology are offered an opportunity to participate as members of the radiation oncology team. They become familiar with the evaluation, management and follow-up of cancer patients. Included are treatment planning, dosimetry, the use of interstitial and intracavitary sources of radionuclides, remote afterloader and stereotactic radiotherapy.

Graduate Program

An approved four-year residency program in Radiation Oncology is offered at the University of Maryland Medical System. Teaching is carried out through didactic lectures, clinics and numerous teaching conferences, with emphasis on patient care, under the supervision of full-time staff. Elective time is spent in related oncological specialties to promote the multidisciplinary concept of managing cancer patients. The department enjoys state-of-the-art equipment and operates several sites both on and off- campus, which include: the University Physicians Professional Building, a main facility in the Gudelsky Tower of the University of Maryland Medical Center, Central Maryland Oncology Center in Columbia, MD., and the Helen P. Denit Center for Radiation Therapy in Olney, Maryland.

Medical Dosimetry Training Program

The department of radiation oncology offers an accredited 1 year training program for medical dosimetrists. To learn more about this program, click here.