ASTRO Names Neurosurgeon Mark P. Carol, MD, 2012 Honorary Member

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has named Mark P. Carol, MD, a distinguished leader in the fields of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), as its 2012 Honorary Member. The title of Honorary Member is the highest honor ASTRO bestows upon distinguished cancer researchers and leaders in disciplines other than radiation oncology, radiation physics or radiobiology. Dr. Carol was recognized with this honor during ASTRO’s 54th Annual Meeting.

Father of IMRT

Dr. Carol has more than 30 years of experience in the medical device and health care services arenas, and he is often considered the father of IMRT. Since 1992, he has developed and created many novel and crucial devices and techniques that have influenced and shaped modern radiation oncology, such as CT/MRI image fusion with ultrasound treatment room-based localization, intensity modulated treatment delivery, DVH-based prescriptions, simulated annealing optimization and image guided therapy.

Most recently, Dr. Carol has been developing an innovative way to deliver radiation therapy that uses a multiplexed photon beam to treat patients in sitting and standing positions, thereby reducing overall costs while at the same time allowing advanced multimodality imaging to be introduced seamlessly into the treatment room.

Pioneer in Radiation Oncology

“Throughout the years, Dr. Carol, who trained as a neurosurgeon, has been a pioneer and innovator in the field of radiation oncology,” said Michael L. Steinberg, MD, FASTRO, of UCLA Health System in Los Angeles and ASTRO President. “His ground-breaking approach to the development of IMRT and IGRT has provided tremendous benefits for radiation oncology patients. He is most deserving of this year’s honor,” Dr. Steinberg said.

Dr. Carol graduated with distinction in research from the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, New York. At the University of Rochester, Dr. Carol worked on developing an artificial heart, for which he now holds a patent. From 1978-1984, he served as a neurosurgical resident and a fellow in neurotraumatology at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, and he later went on to practice at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, New York.

Dr. Carol has also taught as an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Columbia University in New York, the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, and the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo, Ohio. Since 2009, Dr. Carol has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is currently the Chief Development Officer at US HIFU, a privately held health-care company focused on treating primary and recurrent prostate cancer using high-intensity focused ultrasound, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. ■