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UF Health University of Florida
Radiation Oncology College of Medicine
Appointment info: 352-265-0287
Research Overview

Research Publications

Paul Okunieff, MD

The University of Florida Department of Radiation Oncology has led research efforts in the field for 60 years. In fact, our residents are some of the most published residents of any radiation oncology residency program in the United States. Peruse our most recent publications and research highlights below:

Current Research Highlights

  • A multi-institutional retrospective cohort of adult-onset medulloblastoma in the modern era (Amdur et al), which finds that treatment factors for adult-onset medulloblastoma were highly intercorrelated with one another and with the treating institution; further, concurrent chemotherapy was not associated with overall survival.
  • Investigation of 2D anti-scatter grid implementation in a gantry-mounted cone beam computed tomography system for proton therapy (Bryant et al), which suggests that Improved CT accuracy and artifact reduction with 2D anti-scatter grids could enhance CBCT-based proton therapy dose calculations.
  • Evaluation of the system accuracy of frameless stereotactic radiosurgery using a combination of cone beam CT, six degrees of freedom couch, and surface image-guided systems (Cheng et al), which introduces an innovative approach to quantifying the impact of couch rotation on the frameless linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery system.
  • Nonorbital, Nonparameningeal Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group (or COG, Indelicato et al), which reports that COG outcomes for patients with onorbital, nonparameningeal head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma were similar to contemporary studies (i.e. clinically involved regional lymph nodes had a worse prognosis).
  • A Comparison of Radiosurgical Planning Techniques for the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia (Li et al), which analyzes the current peer-reviewed literature on physical aspects of radiosurgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.
  • Predictive Model of Acute Rectal Toxicity in Prostate Cancer Treated with Radiotherapy (N. Mendenhall, et al), which reports that the strong performance of the study’s model across modalities has potential for guiding future treatment decisions.
  • P16/HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma survival: Comparing primary surgery to primary chemoradiotherapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis (W. Mendenhall et al), which finds that both primary surgery and primary chemo-radiation therapy for p16/HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma survival provide acceptable survival outcomes, although in many cases surgery has shown improved survival rates.
  • International Recommendations on Postoperative Management for Potentially Resectable Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (Mendenhall et al). This consensus was developed among internationally regarded clinical opinion leaders from major centers worldwide to enhance treatment outcomes, minimize complications, and guide clinicians in making informed decisions regarding the management of locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  • Proton Beam Therapy for Pancreatic Tumors: A Consensus Statement from the Particle Therapy Cooperative Group Gastrointestinal Subcommittee (Nichols et al). This is an important consensus statement developed by an international group of pancreatic cancer experts (PTCOG) summarizing the treatment of pancreatic tumors with proton therapy.
  • Metastatic site radiation therapy for Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma: Consensus guidelines from the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (Bradley et al), which, through a panel of pediatric radiation oncologists from distinguished academic hospitals, identifies and discusses current controversies regarding the role of radiation in the management of metastatic Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma.

All Current Faculty Publications:

(please note that some may be in process)

March 2025

  • Robert Amdur

A multi-institutional retrospective cohort of adult-onset medulloblastoma in the modern era. Bonm AV, Rutenberg MS, Therkelsen KE, Herbst J, Sanaf A, Sherwood MA, Rhee JY, McGranahan TM, Cimino PJ, Gonzalez Castro LN, Tsang DS, Karajannis MA, Nagpal S, Amdur RJ, Shih H, Barber J, Taylor LP. Neurooncol Adv. 2025 Jan 22;7(1):vdae231. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdae231. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec. PMID: 39991182.

  • Curtis Bryant, Nancy Mendenhall, Perry Johnson

Investigation of 2D anti-scatter grid implementation in a gantry-mounted cone beam computed tomography system for proton therapy. Pyakurel U, Zhang Y, Sabounchi R, Bayat F, Brousmiche S, Bryant C, Mendenhall N, Johnson P, Altunbas C. Phys Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2025 Feb 11;33:100730. doi: 10.1016/j.phro.2025.100730. eCollection 2025 Jan. PMID: 40026909.

  • Hao-Wen Cheng, Jonathan Li, Sheng-Hsuan Sun, Guanghua Yan, Chihray Liu

Evaluation of the system accuracy of frameless stereotactic radiosurgery using a combination of cone beam CT, six degrees of freedom couch, and surface image-guided systems. Cheng HW, Li J, Sun SH, Yan G, Liu C. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2025 Mar 22:e70082. doi: 10.1002/acm2.70082. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40119644.

  • Daniel Indelicato

Nonorbital, Nonparameningeal Head and Neck Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group. Aye JM, Xue W, Gao Z, Ladra M, Indelicato DJ, Sheyn A, Dasgupta R, Arnold MA, Shenoy A, Linardic CM, Venkatramani R. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2025 Mar 19:e31673. doi: 10.1002/pbc.31673. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40108481.

  • Perry Johnson, Mark Artz, Nancy Price Mendenhall, Curtis Bryant

Modelling of a double-scattering proton therapy nozzle using the FLUKA Monte Carlo code and analysis of linear energy transfer in patients treated for prostate cancer. Klitgaard R, Fjæra LF, Stokkevåg CH, Johnson P, Artz M, Mendenhall NP, Bryant C, Muren LP. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2025 Mar 19:e70032. doi: 10.1002/acm2.70032. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40105033.

  • Jonathan Li

A Comparison of Radiosurgical Planning Techniques for the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia. Doxsee K, Paddock I, Friedman WA, Li JG, De Leo A, Koch M, Bova FJ. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2025 Feb 27:S1879-8500(25)00010-4. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2024.11.014. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40019414.

  • Nancy Mendenhall

Predictive Model of Acute Rectal Toxicity in Prostate Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy.  Shah KD, Yeap BY, Lee H, Soetan ZO, Moteabbed M, Muise S, Cowan J, Remillard K, Silvia B, Mendenhall NP, Soffen E, Mishra MV, Kamran SC, Miyamoto DT, Paganetti H, Efstathiou JA, Chamseddine I. JCO Clin Cancer Inform. 2025 Mar;9:e2400252. doi: 10.1200/CCI-24-00252. Epub 2025 Mar 19. PMID: 40106736.

  • William Mendenhall
    1. The Oncological Outcome of Postoperative Radiotherapy in Patients with Node-Negative Early-Stage (T1/T2/N0) Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Perineural Invasion: A Meta-Analysis. Rao KN, Sreeram MP, de Bree R, Mendenhall WM, Strojan P, Stenman G, Mäkitie A, Nadal A, Rodrigo JP, Ng SP, et al. Cancers. 2025; 17(5):862. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050862.
    2. P16/HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma survival: Comparing primary surgery to primary chemoradiotherapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Festa BM, Schaefer N, Reschly W, Mendenhall WM, Conrad D, Hanubal K, Shama M, Dirain CO, Hughley B, Danan D, Dziegielewski PT. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2025 Mar 3;51(7):109739. doi: 10.1016/j.ejso.2025.109739. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40101682
  • Christopher G Morris, Nancy P Mendenhall, Mark E Artz

Independent Review Organization and Proton Therapy: Multistate Analysis and Legal Procedural Strategies. Brooks ED, Sio TT, Ning MS, Morris CG, Mendenhall NP, Turner M, Vergara NK, Palmer M, Artz ME. Int J Part Ther. 2025 Feb 17;15:100741. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpt.2025.100741. eCollection 2025 Mar. PMID: 40084161.

  • Jiyeon Park, Daniel J. Indelicato, Soon N. Huh, Mark Artz, Yawei Zhang, Hardev Grewal, Perry Johnson

Investigating an Artificial Object Detected in Radiographic Images in a Child: Unique Considerations Related to Proton Therapy. Park J, Indelicato DJ, Huh SN, Waldrip BR, Artz M, Zhang Y, Vieceli M, Grewal H, Johnson P. Advances in Radiation Oncology, Volume 10, Issue 3, 2025,101715, ISSN 2452-1094,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adro.2025.101715.

January – February 2025

  • Etzer M Augustin, Daniel J Indelicato, Julie A Bradley, Roi Dagan, Christopher G Morris, Scott M Bradfield, Raymond B Mailhot Vega Leo 

Long-Term Outcomes Following Radiotherapy for Pediatric Salivary Gland Tumors. Augustin EM, Indelicato DJ, Bradley JA, Fortune EC 4th, Dagan R, Morris CG, Bradfield SM, Vega RBM. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2025 Feb 13:e31571. doi: 10.1002/pbc.31571. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39948319.

  • Anthony Casper, Daniel J Indelicato, Robert J Amdur, Alexandra N De Leo  

Radiotherapy Target Volume Definition for Myxopapillary Ependymoma of the Lumbosacral Spine Without Indication for Craniospinal Irradiation: The Question of Extending the Target Inferiorly to Include the Proximal Nerve Roots and Thecal Sac. Casper A, Indelicato DJ, Amdur RJ, De Leo AN. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2025 Feb 3:S1879-8500(25)00014-1. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2025.01.009. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39909145.

  • Daniel Indelicato
    1. Optimizing Ewing Sarcoma and Osteosarcoma Biopsy Acquisition: A Children’s Oncology Group Bone Tumor Committee Consensus Statement. Dietz MS, Al-Ibraheemi A, Davis JL, Hawkins CM, Craig BT, Dasgupta R, Geller DS, Shulman DS, Cohen-Gogo S, Gupta A, Whiteway SL, Slotkin EK, Heske CM, Ahmed SK, Indelicato DJ, Albert CM, Montgomery N, Sandberg JK, Grier HE, Krailo M, Isakoff MS, Rubin E, Lawlor ER, DuBois SG, Mascarenhas L, Grohar PJ, Binitie O, Reed D, Janeway K, Roberts RD, Bailey KM. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2024 Dec 27:1-7. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2024.7063. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39729709.
    2. Endocrine dysfunction in long-term survivors of pediatric head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma. Morfouace M, Schoot RA, Hol MLF, Minard-Colin V, Kolb F, Bollé S, Kayembe MT, Gaze MN, Sandler E, Knops RRG, Merks JHM, Smeele LE, Indelicato DJ, Slater O, van Santen HM. Eur J Endocrinol. 2025 Jan 6;192(1):25-33. doi: 10.1093/ejendo/lvae168. PMID: 39775705.
  • Erika Kollitz, Sheng-Hsuan Sun, Kathryn Hitchcock, Alexandra De Leo, Amanda Schwarz, Luke Maloney, Jonathan Li, Chihray Liu, Guanghua Yan 

Patient setup variation on Elekta Unity and its impact on adaptive planning. Yan M, Kollitz E, Sun SH, Hitchcock K, De Leo A, Schwarz A, Maloney L, Li J, Liu C, Yan G. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2025 Feb 12:e70016. doi: 10.1002/acm2.70016. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39940123.

  • Song Lai

Applying evidence-based cross-disciplinary concepts helps to explain the heterogeneity in pain, function, and biological measures in individuals with knee pain with/at risk of osteoarthritis. Mickle AM, Tanner JJ, Holmes U 3rd, Rashid A, Barolette O, Addison B, Sambuco N, Garvan C, Lai S, Seubert C, Schmidt S, Staud R, Edberg JC, Redden D, Goodin BR, Price CC, Fillingim RB, Sibille KT. Pain Rep. 2024 Dec 24;10(1):e1225. doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000001225. eCollection 2025 Feb. PMID: 39726853.

  • Jonathan Li

Benchmarking and performance evaluation of a novel deformable image registration software for radiotherapy CT images. Alshammari SS, Yaddanapudi S, Kušnik B, Ivančič R, Anderle K, Li JG, Furutani KM, Beltran CJ, Lu B. Tech Innov Patient Support Radiat Oncol. 2024 Nov 26;32:100295. doi: 10.1016/j.tipsro.2024.100295. eCollection 2024 Dec. PMID: 39717078.

  • William M Mendenhall

International Recommendations on Postoperative Management for Potentially Resectable Locally Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Li JS, Blanchard P, Wong CHL, Ahn YC, Bonomo P, Bresson D, Caudell J, Chen MY, Chow VLY, Chua MLK, Corry J, Dupin C, Giralt J, Hu CS, Kwong DLW, Le QT, Lee AWM, Lee NY, Li YZ, Lim CM, Lin JC, Mendenhall WM, Moya-Plana A, O’Sullivan B, Ozyar E, Pan JJ, Qiu QH, Sher DJ, Snyderman CH, Tao YG, Tsang RK, Wang XS, Wu PA, Yom SS, Ng WT. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2024 Dec 1;120(5):1294-1306. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.07.2143. Epub 2024 Jul 14. PMID: 39009321.

  • R. Charles Nichols, Jr.

Proton Beam Therapy for Pancreatic Tumors: A Consensus Statement from the Particle Therapy Cooperative Group Gastrointestinal Subcommittee. Chhabra AM, Amos RA, Simone CB, Kaiser A, Perles LA, Giap H, Hallemeier CL, Johnson JE, Lin H, Wroe AJ, Diffenderfer ES, Wolfgang JA, Sakurai H, Lu HM, Hong TS, Koay EJ, Terashima K, Vitek P, Rule WG, Apisarnthanarax SJ, Badiyan SN, Molitoris JK, Chuong M, Nichols RC Jr. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2025 Jan 4:S0360-3016(24)03769-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.12.020. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39761799 Review.

  • Dietmar W. Siemann

A Novel in vivo Rat Mesentery Model for Studying Tumor Spheroid-Induced Microvascular Remodeling. Lampejo AO, Fonseca Perez L, Girgis MM, Sharma B, Siemann DW, Murfee WL. J Vasc Res. 2024 Dec 19:1-15. doi: 10.1159/000543011. Online ahead of print. PMID: 39701053

Click on the image below to peruse all of our research publications:

UF Radiation Oncology Research Publications

 

NATIONALLY RANKED

U.S. News and World Report

Nationally ranked in 6 adult specialties and 6 pediatric specialties and rated high performing in 4 adult specialties and 5 procedures and conditions.

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