Proton Therapy News Brief Roundup - August 2026
Roi Dagan, MD, MS, Presented Current Practices in Proton Therapy for Uveal Melanoma
In April 2026, Dr. Roi Dagan had the opportunity to speak at Eyes on a Cure, an Ocular Melanoma Patient & Caregiver Symposium. This event was a joint effort by the Melanoma Research Foundation and the University of Miami Health System. He discussed current practices in proton therapy for treating ocular melanoma and the future direction of care for this rare cancer diagnosis. To date, Dr. Dagan and the team at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute have treated over 300 patients with proton therapy in the eyeline treatment room. You can hear his full presentation at this link starting at 2:02:00 – click to watch.
Director of Clinical Dosimetry Presents at American Association of Medical Dosimetrists (AAMD) 51st Annual Meeting
In June 2026, Kevin Kirby, Director of Clinical Dosimetry at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute, presented the latest in proton treatment planning during the Proton Breakout Sessions at this year’s AAMD meeting. His presentation was titled “Proton Radiation Therapy and High-Density Metal: Through or Around?” The goals of the session were to help dosimetrists understand the impact that metal implants may have when creating a proton therapy treatment plan with the pencil beam scanning method, to establish standardized planning and give medical dosimetrists the tools to accurately design treatment plans when metal implants are present. Medical dosimetrists from proton centers around the United States and as far away as Switzerland were in attendance. Medical dosimetrists create radiation treatment plans using software specifically designed for this purpose, in conjunction with the physician and the medical physicists here at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute.
Jacksonville’s Top Doctors
Congratulations to the UF Health Proton Therapy physicians who were nominated by their peers as Top Doctors in their field of expertise of Radiation Oncology. This is a well-deserved recognition for our doctors who are so dedicated to the care of the people who come to them for cancer treatment. Check out their recognition in @JacksonvilleMagazine: https://issuu.com/jacksonvillemagazine/docs/jm_0626-web
- Curtis M. Bryant, MD, MPH
- Roi Dagan, MD, MS
- Daniel J. Indelicato, MD
- Nancy P. Mendenhall, MD, FACR, FASTRO
- William M. Mendenhall, MD, FACR
- Romaine C. Nichols, Jr., MD
Find out about all our cancer experts here.
Lucas G. Sapienza, MD, PhD, Energized by Advancements & Collaboration in Radiation Oncology
Physicians connect and communicate with one another at in-person conferences, meetings and on social media platforms. These opportunities for information sharing are an important part of continuous improvement of patient care. For example, Dr. Lucas G. Sapienza posted the following on LinkedIn after hearing inspiring talks.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7474242034485166082/
“Returning from the ABS 2026 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, energized and full of ideas!
The meeting highlighted not only exciting advances in brachytherapy, but also the importance of strong multidisciplinary teams. Among the highlights for me were presentations from Robin Miller, MS, and Mitchell Kamrava, MD. Their talks approached brachytherapy from different angles: one used the analogy of a soccer team ⚽️ to illustrate the importance of teamwork in brachytherapy, while the other explored the evolving role of brachytherapy as a distinct procedural discipline within radiation oncology.
I’m looking forward to translating these insights into clinical practice, program development, and future research as we continue to expand access to high-quality brachytherapy care.”
Long-standing Local Restaurant Supports Cancer Patients
Fred Cotten’s Landmark BBQ, one of the oldest BBQ restaurants in Jacksonville, donated lunch for the patients at the UF Health Proton Therapy Institute in June. We are grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, owners of Cotton’s BBQ, for their generosity. Over 50 patients joined us for our bi-weekly patient luncheon, where we provided education about proton therapy as well as an opportunity for patients to get to know and support each other. This partnership was made possible by proton alumnus, Gary Fiske, who connected us with the Harrisons who were interested in supporting the Institute.