Radiance Therapeutics, a company developing a next-generation Beta Ophthalmic Applicator, is delighted to announce that one of its co-founders, Dr Wendell Lutz, PhD, will be honored by the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), during the Annual Meeting Awards Ceremony in San Antonio which will take place on October 25, 2022.
Relatively few names are as synonymous with advancements in radiation oncology as Dr Wendell Lutz, a medical physicist, engineer, inventor, and educator whose contributions have advanced the field of radiation oncology. Dr. Lutz’s career spans decades during which the field has seen growth and innovation. Dr Lutz’s contributions have shaped the practice of radiation oncology today. In 1986, Dr. Lutz revolutionized the field of radiation oncology, leading with Dr. Ken Winston the invention of the linear accelerator (LINAC) based stereotactic radiosurgery system.
It soon became apparent that the system significantly improved the outcomes of patients with functional abnormalities and brain tumors and subsequently this therapy was extended more broadly in cancer treatment. The use of minimally invasive LINAC based stereotactic radiosurgery systems is now a mainstay in modern medicine. The true value of Dr. Lutz’s innovation is its impact on patient care: according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), 50% of cancer patients are treated with radiosurgery. A humanitarian and academic, with the goal of speeding this therapy to patients, Dr. Lutz and Harvard University’s Joint Center for Radiation Therapy placed his invention into the public domain by directly publishing in peer reviewed medical journals. This created fertile ground for the considerable growth of the global stereotactic surgery devices industry.
Dr Wendell Lutz will receive the highest honor from ASTRO, the ASTRO Gold Medal, which is awarded to individuals who have made an enduring impact on the field of radiation oncology through their clinical patient care, research, teaching, mentorship, and service. Joining Dr. Lutz in this revered class of ASTRO Gold Medal recipients will be Tim R. Williams, MD, FASTRO, another great innovator in this field.
Radiance Therapeutics extends heartfelt congratulations to Drs. Lutz and Williams.