Journal of Oncology and Cancer Research

Dr. Rita Marina Niespolo is a senior radiation oncologist at IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori in Monza, Italy, where she has worked since 2001. A recognized leader in stereotactic and image-guided radiotherapy, she serves as Vice-Clinical Director of the Radiotherapy Department and Coordinator of the AIRO Gastrointestinal Study Group. Her research focuses on stereotactic body radiotherapy, radiomics, and innovative treatment strategies for gastrointestinal malignancies. She has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and serves as reviewer for several prestigious international journals. Dr. Niespolo is also an experienced educator at the University of Milano-Bicocca, mentoring students and specialization residents in radiation oncology. Her career is distinguished by a strong commitment to clinical excellence, scientific collaboration, and continuous innovation in cancer care.

• Radiomics and Precision Oncology
• Clinical innovation in radiation oncology
• Radiomics and Precision Oncology

1. Principal Investigator and Scientific Coordinator for numerous national multicenter trials, including STAR, PAULA, LaIT-SABR, RADICI, SMART-STAR, RANTIGA, and GREEN LaIT-SABR

2. Quality Manager of the Complex Structure of Radiotherapy, San Gerardo Hospital (since 2006)

3. Internal Auditor (ISO 9001:2015 Certified) and Expert in Clinical Risk Management

4. Reviewer for international journals such as Radiotherapy and Oncology, Clinical and Translational Radiation Oncology, Tumori, and World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

5. Guest Editor, Frontiers in Oncology (2024 onward)

6. Organizer and scientific leader of AIRO webinars and ECM-accredited courses on SBRT, radiomics, and multidisciplinary care

7. Member of multiple AIRO study groups (Gastrointestinal, Urologic, Palliative, Retreatment, Rare Tumors)

1. Rectal cancer (PILLAR): A multicentric analysis by the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) Gastrointestinal Study Group. Clinical and Translational Radiation Oncology, Jan 2023.

2. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) evaluation of the radiotherapy treatment delivery process. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 182 (Suppl 1): S399, May 2023.

3. Comparative Effectiveness of Chemotherapy Alone Versus Radiotherapy-Based Regimens in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Real-World Multicenter Analysis (PAULA-1). Current Oncology, June 2023.

4. Pattern of care for re-irradiation in locally recurrent rectal cancer: national survey on behalf of the AIRO Gastrointestinal Tumors Study Group. La Radiologia Medica, June 2023.

5. A Mono-Institutional Experience of Field-In-Field 3D-CRT Planning in Breast Radiotherapy with Fast-Forward Protocols. Physica Medica, Nov 2023.

6. Single-Centre Implementation of Radiotherapy-dedicated BRA for Large and Pendulous Breast. Physica Medica, Nov 2023.

7. Preoperative Intensified Chemoradiation with Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy and Simultaneous Integrated Boost Combined with Capecitabine in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: Long-Term Outcomes of a Real-Life Multicenter Study. Cancers, Dec 2023.

8. Synchronized Contrast-Enhanced 4DCT Simulation for Target Volume Delineation in Abdominal SBRT. Cancers 2024, 16: 4066.

9. Analysis of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer given neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy with or without RT dose intensification: A multicenter retrospective study – ATLANTIS part I. Radiotherapy and Oncology 204 (2025) 110701.

10. “RT for the management of locally advanced rectal cancer: Don’t throw the baby with the bath water!” Radiotherapy and Oncology 205 (2025) 110772.

11. Management strategies for pT1 rectal cancer following local excision: Insights from a national survey by the AIRO Gastrointestinal Study Group. Journal of Radiation Research and Applied Sciences, Vol 18, Issue 4 (2025).