FAIRFAX, Va., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Virginia Cancer Specialists, recently rated #1 cancer practice in the state of Virginia for the third year running, has been selected by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) as one of the first two Authorized User Training Centers in the United States.
This national initiative is designed to address a clear gap in radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) training access. Many radiation oncology practices are prepared to offer radiopharmaceutical therapy—a fast‑growing class of targeted cancer treatments—but cannot meet required supervised case training due to lack of available sites and mentors.
ASTRO's new program allows radiation oncologists to complete necessary supervised cases in a convenient time period, given a high volume of cases at Virginia Cancer Specialists. This accelerates the safe adoption of RPT nationwide and expands patient access to innovative therapies.
"ASTRO recognized a bottleneck that was limiting adoption and, ultimately, patient access," said Youssef Charara, PhD, DABR, Chief Medical Physicist at Virginia Cancer Specialists. "The program was designed to close those gaps and provide an end‑to‑end, real‑world framework for implementation."
Leaders in Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
Virginia Cancer Specialists' Radiation Oncology Center, under the leadership of radiation oncologists Harold C. Agbahiwe, MD, and Gregory S. Sibley, MD, launched its RPT program in 2014, navigating the lengthy supervised training requirements that remain a challenge for many practices. At the time, it took nearly a year to identify and secure an Authorized User who could provide the required supervision and proctor the necessary cases for an additional physician seeking Authorized User status—a significant barrier that the new ASTRO program is designed to address for future providers.
"This program addresses one of the most persistent challenges in radiopharmaceutical therapy: access to supervised training. By serving as an ASTRO‑designated training center, we can help empower colleagues across the country to bring this important therapy to their communities safely and efficiently. It is a privilege to support this next chapter of precision cancer care," shared Dr. Agbahiwe.
"Our multidisciplinary team has spent years building a safe, comprehensive program. Being chosen as a national training center validates that work and enables us to share our experience broadly. This initiative has the potential to dramatically expand patient access to targeted, effective treatments—and we are honored to play a role in that mission," said Dr. Sibley.
As an ASTRO‑designated training center, Virginia Cancer Specialists will provide:
Advancing Patient Access
Radiopharmaceutical therapy (also known as radioligand therapy) uses targeted radioactive molecules to deliver tumor‑specific radiation while limiting exposure to healthy tissues. It is most commonly used for metastatic castration‑resistant prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumors, with new agents and indications rapidly emerging.
To learn more, call The Radiation Oncology Center at Virginia Cancer Specialists: 703.934.4451.
About Virginia Cancer Specialists
Virginia Cancer Specialists, the largest private cancer practice in Northern Virginia, has been recognized as the #1 physician practice in Virginia in cancer care and across all medical specialties for 3 years running (2024-2026), as recognized by Castle Connolly Top Doctors. It features a world-class treatment team offering access to the most current treatment protocols fighting cancer and blood diseases. It's also home to the Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute and the largest clinical trials portfolio in the Mid-Atlantic – including a dedicated research facility for Phase I clinical trials and later-stage trials through a joint venture with Fairfax's NEXT Oncology. The practice offers medical oncology, radiation oncology, musculoskeletal tumor surgery, breast surgery, thoracic surgery, genetic counseling, support cancer care, financial counseling, onsite laboratory, onsite pharmacy, language services, telehealth, nurse advice line, and much more. Virginia Cancer Specialists is part of The US Oncology Network. This collaboration unites the practice with more than 600 sites of care across 31 states, 2,700 affiliated physicians, and research and data from thousands of patients with cancer in clinical trials across the country. Its 2024 partnership with the renowned Sara Cannon Research Institute opens the door to hundreds of additional clinical studies, increases care to more patients, and has played a role in more than 100 FDA-approved cancer therapies. For more information about The US Oncology Network, which is supported by McKesson, a trusted name and global leader in healthcare for over 180 years, visit USOncology.com. For more information about Virginia Cancer Specialists, visit: VirginiaCancerSpecialists.com
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SOURCE Virginia Cancer Specialists
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