Biography

Treating breast cancer patients with radiation therapy is the sole clinical focus for Asal Rahimi, M.D., M.S. Her experience in this area gives her the tools necessary to answer patient questions openly and honestly. Preparing for radiation treatment, or any kind of cancer treatment, can be scary, she says, and spending time with patients until they feel comfortable with their treatment plan is an important part of the process.

Breast cancer patients who come to UT Southwestern have access to technology and expertise they can’t find anywhere else in North Texas.”

Dr. Rahimi is Chief of Breast Radiation Oncology Service; Medical Director of Clinical Research Office; and Associate Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She joined the Radiation Oncology in August 2011 after concluding her residency in radiation oncology at the University of Virginia and completing special training with the American Brachytherapy Society that same year.

Over the last decade, radiation treatment for breast cancer has been moving from treatment of the whole breast toward the (still investigational) option of partial breast irradiation, which was the focus of the special training Dr. Rahimi completed with the American Brachytherapy Society. This approach exposes the heart, lungs, and skin to less unnecessary radiation and can be delivered via interstitial brachytherapy, balloon brachytherapy, or external beam radiation therapy.

The experimental GammaPod radiotherapy system at UT Southwestern, one of the first such systems in the United States, is a platform for stereotactic radiation, like the Gamma Knife for brain tumors, that immobilizes the breast and allows for higher doses of radiation to the breast tumor in fewer visits.

“The GammaPod will give us a non-invasive tool for partial breast cancer radiation treatments,” says Dr. Rahimi. “I know my patients would appreciate that. It’s less disrupting to their lives outside of their cancer.”

Clinical Interests

  • Breast cancer radiation therapy
  • Partial breast irradiation
  • Deep inspiratory breath hold
  • Invasive brachytherapy
  • Non-invasive radiation therapy
  • GammaPod
  • Hypofractionation/hypofractionated radiation treatment

Education

Graduate School
Finch University of Health Sciences-Chicago Medical School (2002)
Medical School
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science (2006)
Internship
University of Virginia Medical Center (2007), Internal Medicine
Residency
University of Virginia Medical Center (2011), Radiation Oncology

Publications

Towards precision radiation oncology: endocrine therapy response as a biomarker for personalization of breast radiotherapy
Udden SM, Baek GH, Pandey K, Vidal C, Liu Y, Rahimi AS, Kim DN, Nwachukwu CR, Mani RS, Alluri PG npj Precision Oncology 2023 Dec 7
Definitive ablative stereotactic partial breast irradiation in early stage inoperable breast cancer
Miljanic M, Nwachukwu C, Rahimi A Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology 2023 Nov 149 15553-15559
Aspirin use is associated with improvement in distant metastases outcome in patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Johns C, Montalvo SK, Cauble MK, Liu YL, All S, Rahimi AS, Alluri PG, Leitch M, Unni N, Wooldridge RD, Farr D, Nwachukwu C, Kim DW Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 2023 Jun 199 381-387
A deep learning approach for automatic delineation of clinical target volume in stereotactic partial breast irradiation (S-PBI)
Kazemimoghadam M, Yang Z, Chen M, Rahimi A, Kim N, Alluri P, Nwachukwu C, Lu W, Gu X Physics in medicine and biology 2023 May 68
Stability and reproducibility comparisons between deep inspiration breath-hold techniques for left-sided breast cancer patients: A prospective study
Parsons D, Joo M, Iqbal Z, Godley A, Kim N, Spangler A, Albuquerque K, Sawant A, Zhao B, Gu X, Rahimi A Journal of applied clinical medical physics 2023 May 24
On the feasibility of improved target coverage without compromising organs at risk using online adaptive stereotactic partial breast irradiation (A-SPBI)
Montalvo SK, Kim N, Nwachukwu C, Alluri P, Parsons D, Lin MH, Cai B, Zhuang T, Hrycushko B, Chen L, Timmerman R, Rahimi A Journal of applied clinical medical physics 2023 Feb 24
Aspirin Use Is Associated With Improved Outcomes in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Patients
Johns C, Yen A, Rahimi A, Liu YL, Leitch AM, Spangler A, Alluri P, Nwachukwu C, Wooldridge R, Farr D, Nathan Kim DW Journal of Breast Cancer 2023 Feb 26 14-24
Feasibility and efficacy of active breathing coordinator assisted deep inspiration breath hold technique for treatment of locally advanced breast cancer
All S, Zhao B, Montalvo S, Maxwell C, Johns C, Gu X, Rahimi A, Alluri P, Parsons D, Chiu T, Schroeder S, Kim DN Journal of applied clinical medical physics 2023 Feb 24
Stereotactic Partial Breast Irradiation: What Does the Future Hold?
Montalvo SK, Collins B, Vicini F, Rahimi A American Journal of Clinical Oncology: Cancer Clinical Trials 2023 Jan 46 20-24
Artificial Intelligence–Empowered Radiation Oncology Residency Education
Kwon YS, Dohopolski M, Morgan H, Garant A, Sher D, Rahimi A, Sanford NN, Vo DT, Albuquerque K, Kumar K, Timmerman R, Jiang SB Practical Radiation Oncology 2023 Jan 13 8-10

Honors & Awards

  • ARRO Educator of the Year
    The award is presented in partnership with ASTRO for the recognition of excellence in teaching, enthusiasm, and support for radiation oncology residency training. (2013)
  • American Brachytherapy Society and Nucletron Sponsored HDR Fellowship
    Arizona Breast Cancer Specialist breast HDR specialty training (2011)
  • RSNA Resident Fellowship Research Award
    (2010)
  • University of Virginia Resident Clinical Excellence Award
    Resident Clinical Excellence Award (2009)
  • MD with Distinction in Research
    Research Honor Thesis (2006)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha
    Honor Society (2005)

Professional Associations/Affiliations

  • American Brachytherapy Society (2010)
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (2007)
  • American Society Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (2007)
  • NRG National Breast Committee (2015)
  • Radiological Society of North America