The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and the Department of Radiology are expanding their Interventional Radiology (IR) services to better serve the needs of cancer patients. A dedicated comprehensive Interventional Oncology Program, which specializes in providing minimally invasive, image-guided therapies for patients with cancer, officially launched on July 1, 2025. Dr. Bashar Nahab, MD, MS, will serve as the Director of this new initiative.

Bashar Nahab, MD, MS  Director, Interventional Oncology  University of Cincinnati Cancer Center

Interventional oncology (IO), offered by IR services, encompasses a range of image-guided and minimally invasive procedures. These procedures utilize advanced imaging techniques to detect, target, and treat tumors, including methods such as tumor ablation and embolization, while also addressing cancer-related symptoms. The goal of these therapies is to provide curative treatment, often resulting in reduced pain, shorter recovery times, decreased hospital stays, and an overall improvement in patients' quality of life.

Dr. Nahab joined the University of Cincinnati in 2021, bringing with him a wealth of expertise from his rigorous training in Interventional Radiology at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Before taking on his current leadership role, he served as the Section Chief of Interventional Radiology at the University of Cincinnati. He expanded several oncology-based service lines regionally, including prostate interventions, and treatments for other solid organ tumors such as adrenal, renal, and thyroid tumors. During his tenure, the IR services acquired two state-of-the-art CT machines for the main campus and West Chester Hospital, as well as the cutting-edge CT navigation system, which will be utilized to enhance the interventional oncology program for the IR section.

The IO services will collaborate with other medical and surgical oncology services in a multidisciplinary manner and tumor boards to ensure that IO is fully integrated into the Cancer Center’s comprehensive cancer care approach. This interdisciplinary collaboration aims to improve outcomes throughout the continuum of care, from diagnosis to follow-up, by offering more specialized treatments, standardizing care protocols and incorporating new interventional modalities tailored specifically to cancer patients.

The program will also emphasize research and innovation. Although still in the early planning stages, the team is developing a research agenda that includes evaluating advanced imaging technologies, launching clinical trials in interventional oncology, and conducting retrospective analyses.