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The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology is pleased to announce that Randal S. Weber, M.D., F.A.C.S., has been chosen as an Honorary Member of the Society. Dr. Weber will receive his award during an awards ceremony at the 49th Annual Meeting to be held October 28 through November 1, 2007, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles.

"Honorary membership is the highest distinction our Society can bestow on members of the medical field outside of radiation oncology," said K. Kian Ang, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of ASTRO's Board of Directors and a radiation oncologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. "Dr. Weber has been exemplary in his efforts to promote and support the multidisciplinary approach, especially when it comes to treating patients with head and neck cancers."

Dr. Weber is an otolaryngologist, the Hubert L. and Oliver Stringer Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. As part of his own discipline in surgery, Dr. Weber works closely with radiation oncologists in determining the best treatments for patients with head and neck cancer. Dr. Weber was one of the first head and neck surgeons to actively promote, participate and initiate clinical trials that were non-surgical which changed protocols for the treatment of head and neck cancer patients. He has established himself as a pioneer in the field of organ preservation and has served as an integral member of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), where he currently sits as the surgical chair for the Head and Neck Committee.

He has also been active in a number of professional medical societies. Dr. Weber served as past president of the American Radium Society and the American Head and Neck Society. He is a member of the American Laryngological Association and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Society. "It is a true honor to be selected and recognized by ASTRO," said Dr. Weber. "I accept this honor in the hopes that it encourages other surgeons and oncologists to talk to their multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure that men and women with cancer have the opportunity to learn about all their treatment options before deciding on a course of action."

Dr. Weber earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences Medical School in Memphis, Tenn. He completed an internship in surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Dr. Weber did his residency in general surgery and otolargyngology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, followed by a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, also in Houston.

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ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with nearly 9,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy.

Source: Beth Bukata
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology