ESTRO 2026 Congress: Medical physics at the heart of innovation

Abstract

The ESTRO 2026 Congress was held in Stockholm from May 15–19 under the theme “Innovating Radiation Oncology, Together,” bringing together nearly 8,900 participants and hosting Europe’s largest radiation oncology industry exhibition. Walking through the Physics Track sessions, one thing became clear early on: the old staples of our meetings, such as calibration, QA protocols, and dose calculation, were no longer the main story. This narrative review reflects on the congress from a medical physics perspective, drawing on the scientific program and attendees’ shared impressions. Sessions instead centered on artificial intelligence, online adaptive radiotherapy, real-world clinical data, biological dose modeling, and emerging technologies such as FLASH and particle therapy. Taken as a whole, the congress showed that medical physicists are moving beyond a purely technical role toward active involvement in clinical decision-making, quality leadership, and patient care, a shift that future training programs will need to reflect.