The Department of Radiation Oncology

Eric Horwitz, the chair of radiation oncology at Fox Chase, is researching new ways to deliver radiation therapy to cancer patients.
Eric Horwitz, the chair of radiation oncology at Fox Chase, is researching new ways to deliver radiation therapy to cancer patients.

International Leaders in Radiation Oncology

Fox Chase Cancer Center Radiation Oncology physicians offer you the latest advancements in radiation treatment for various types of cancers. They are on the leading edge of discovery in this specialty, maintaining a dual commitment to patient care and clinical research, earning Fox Chase Cancer Center international recognition as a leader in radiation oncology. Our radiation oncology teams are located on the main Fox Chase Cancer Center campus, Fox Chase Cancer Center at Buckingham, and Fox Chase Cancer Center East Norriton—Hospital Outpatient Center

Specialists for Each Type of Cancer

Fox Chase has one of the country’s largest and most dynamic programs in radiation oncology. Each of our radiation oncologists is a cancer specialist with extensive experience in the application of radiation therapy as it is used in the management of cancer, and have extensive experience treating patients with state-of-the-art therapies such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). 

They also continue to develop the image-guided radiation therapies of the future. In the coming months, Fox Chase doctors will be the first physicians in the United States to use radiodynamic therapy (RDT) in the treatment of cancers. This innovative technology allows previously treated patients to receive additional treatment safely.

Message From the Chair

The mission of Fox Chase Cancer Center Radiation Oncology is to alleviate the burden of cancer by safely and compassionately delivering state-of-the-art radiation therapy with a commitment to clinical excellence, research expertise, and education in an inclusive environment that embraces diversity.

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University offer many of the most sophisticated radiation techniques, including intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SbRT), high-dose-rate (HDR) and low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy, the CyberKnife and GammaKnife radiosurgery systems, hyperthermia, and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). We have some of the most extensive experience in hypofractionated IMRT and brachytherapy in the region and country.

But we believe caring for people with cancer is more than just a collection of technologies.  Although crucial to delivering state-of-the-art treatment, advanced technologies are just one component of what we have to offer our patients. As part of a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, we believe that cancer care is truly multidisciplinary, so we work with our Fox Chase colleagues, many of whom are national and international experts in surgical and medical oncology. This level of expertise and care offers our patients the best opportunity for treatment success.

The Fox Chase Department of Radiation Oncology is one department located at four sites in Northeast Philadelphia, Bucks County, Montgomery County, and North Philadelphia. This gives cancer patients in Southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware access to Fox Chase Radiation Oncology regardless of location.

In addition to providing state-of-the-art care, Fox Chase radiation oncologists are involved in developing new treatments through research. The foundation of modern cancer care rests on clinical, basic science, and translational research. We have a decades-long history of developing many of the treatments that are now standard, including 3D conformal radiation therapy, IMRT, and image-guided radiation therapy. We are a department of firsts, including the first CT simulator (1989) and the first MRI simulator (2000) in the United States. The first temporary HDR prostate implant on the East Coast was performed at Fox Chase in 1998, and now we are the first and only department in the United States developing and treating patients with radiodynamic therapy.

Fox Chase Radiation Oncology is also looking to the future, as evidenced by its commitment to train the next generation of radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and radiation therapists. We have been training radiation oncologists in our residency program for more than 40 years and we remain a top choice for elite medical students from around the country. Education is a priority for the radiation oncology and medical physics faculty, and preparing the next generation of clinicians and physicists is one of our key missions.

Through clinical excellence, research innovation, and educational distinction, Fox Chase Radiation Oncology offers the highest level of care for our patients in their time of need.

Eric M. Horwitz, MD, FABS, FASTRO

Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology
Fox Chase Cancer Center and Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Gerald E. Hanks Chair in Radiation Oncology
Fox Chase Cancer Center