GreenHealth Lab

Silverwood SM, Lichter KE, Kleiner HS, Katsumoto TR. PERSPECTIVE: A unified strategy for addressing climate change, improving public health, and mitigating environmental degradation. Agriculture Communications. Published online June 7, 2025:100090. doi:10.1016/j.agrcom.2025.100090

Lichter KE, Silva GS, Braunstein S, et al. Patient transit and radiotherapy: Cost-effectiveness approach to environmental health savings. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2025; 43,e23146-e23146. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.e23146

Lichter KE, Silva GS, Avelino S, et al. Advancing Global Equity in Cancer Care: Comparative Environmental Impacts of Radiotherapy in Brazil and the U.S. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2025; 43,1627-1627(2025). doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.1627

Woolen S, Lichter KE, Schoen JH. Shaping a Greener Future: The Role of Education in Sustainability (Ep 6). AJR Podcast Series on Sustainability [Full series here], 2025.  

Lichter KE, Silva GS, Avelino S, Anand C, et al. Environmental Impacts of External Beam Radiation Therapy in Brazil: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment [Abstract]. Cureus. 2025;17(3). 

Lichter KE, Larson B, Pagadala M, Mohamad O, et al. Impact of declared wildfire disasters on survival of lung cancer patients undergoing radiation. Cancer Causes Control. 2025; 36: 561–565. doi: 10.1007/s10552-024-01949-2

Baniel CC, Lichter KE, Frick MA, Wu J, et al. The NorCal brachytherapy waste audit: A simple, validated, toolkit for clinician led waste reduction. Brachytherapy. 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2025.01.002

Silverwood SM, Waeldner K, Demeulenaere SK, Lichter KE, et al. The Relationship between Travel Distance for Treatment and Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review. Advances in Radiation Oncology. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1016/j.adro.2024.101652

Baniel CC, Sabol RA, Nieto R, Lichter KE, et al. Green Horizons in Oncology: A Blueprint for Environmentally Sustainable Radiation Therapy Facilities. Seminars in Radiation Oncology. 2024;34(4):426-432. doi:10.1016/j.semradonc.2024.07.004

Bhatia RK, Lichter KE, Zaorsky NG, Mantz C. Using hypofractionation to decarbonise radiation oncology. BMJ. 2024;386:e079072. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-079072

Frick MA, Baniel CC, Lichter KE, Bagshaw HP. Travel-Related Environmental Impact of Telemedicine in a Radiation Oncology Clinic. 2024;(1):23-29. doi:10.37549/ARO-D-23-00026

Sabol R, Walsh C, Densley S, et al. Evaluating the Impact of Wildfires on Radiotherapy Compliance and Financial Costs: Insights from a Multi-Clinic Analysis. IJROBP. 2024;120(2)s1:e786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.07.1726

Silverwood SM, Lichter KE, Stavropoulos K, et al. Assessing the Readiness for Climate Change Education in Radiation Oncology in the US and Canada. Appl Radiat Oncol. 2024;(1):15 - 22. doi:10.37549/ARO-D-24-00007

Lichter KE, Charbonneau K, Lewy JR, et al. Quantification of the environmental impact of radiotherapy and associated secondary human health effects: a multi-institutional retrospective analysis and simulation. The Lancet Oncology. 2024;25(6):790-801. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00148-7

Lichter K, Sabol R, Yom SS, Mohamad O, Witztum A. Impact of wildfires on radiotherapy adherence in patients with cancer: A multi-clinic study. JCO. 2024;42(16_suppl):e23154-e23154. doi:10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.e23154

Shenker, Rachel B Julie, Lichter KE. Green-ifying Clinical Trials. Published March 1, 2024. https://www.appliedradiationoncology.com/articles/green-ifying-clinical-trials

Lichter KE, Sabbagh A, Demeulenaere S, et al. Reducing the Environmental Impact of Health Care Conferences: A Study of Emissions and Practical Solutions. JCO Global Oncology. Published online February 15, 2024. doi:10.1200/GO.23.00209

Smolen KA, Luu J, Braunstein SE, et al. Shifting Gears to Green: A Pilot Study on Decarbonizing Patient Transport. The Journal of Climate Change and Health. Published online December 24, 2023:100297. doi:10.1016/j.joclim.2023.100297

Silverwood S, Lichter KE, Conway A, et al. Distance Traveled by Patients Globally to Access Radiation Therapy: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.10.030

Lichter K, Larson B, Mohamad O, Nogueira LM. Impact of declared wildfire disasters on survival of lung cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. JCO Oncology Practice. 2023;19(11_suppl):302-302. doi:10.1200/OP.2023.19.11_suppl.302

Lichter KE, Baniel CC, Do I, et al. Impacts of Wildfire Events on California Radiation Oncology Clinics and Patients. Advances in Radiation Oncology. Published online October 22, 2023:101395. doi:10.1016/j.adro.2023.101395

Lichter KE, Sabbagh A, Demeulenaere S, et al. Quantifying emissions and enhancing inclusivity: Insights from ASCO attendance data. JCO Oncology Practice. 2023;19(11_suppl). doi:https://doi.org/10.1200/OP.2023.19.11_suppl.442

Lichter KE, Bloom JR, Sheu RD, et al. Tracking and Reducing SF6 Usage in Radiation Oncology: A Step Toward Net-Zero Health Care Emissions. Practical Radiation Oncology. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1016/j.prro.2023.06.003

Chuter R, Stanford-Edwards C, Cummings J, Lichter KE, et al. Towards estimating the carbon footprint of external beam radiotherapy. Physica Medica. 2023;112:102652. doi:10.1016/j.ejmp.2023.102652

Lichter KE, Weinstein HNW, Husain M, Kishan R, Hantel A, Maniar A. National Cancer Institute Centers With Environmental Sustainability Plans for Climate Change. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(6):e2317206. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.17206 

Lichter KE, Charbonneau K, Sabbagh A, et al. Evaluating the Environmental Impact of Radiotherapy Using Life Cycle Assessments: A Critical Review. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.04.03

Lichter KE, Anderson J, Sim AJ, et al. Transitioning to Environmentally Sustainable, Climate-Smart Radiation Oncology Care. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2022 Aug 1;113(5):915-924. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.04.039

Lichter KE, Baniel CC, Anderson J, et al. Environmentally sustainable brachytherapy care. Brachytherapy. 2022; 21(5):712-717. doi: 10.1016/j.brachy.2022.06.002

Lichter KE, Maniar A, Husain M, et al. Are National Cancer Centers Prepared to Deliver Climate-Smart, Resilient Healthcare? An Overview and Analysis of Organizations' Sustainability Plans. IJROBP. 2022; 114(3, E339). doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.07.1430

Lichter KE, Drew T, Demeulenaere S, et al. Environmental Outcomes Associated With Transition From In-Person to a Virtual Oncology Conference During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Oncol. 2022;8(9):1351–1352. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2022.1925 

Lichter KE, Demeulenaere S, Drew T, et al. The Environmental Impact of a Hybrid Medical Conference: Reduced Carbon Emissions of ASTRO's Digital XP 2021 Conference Model. IJROBP. 2022; 114(3, S130). doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.07.584

Patel L, Lichter KE. How Should We Better Manage Human and Planetary Health in a Next Pandemic? AMA J Ethics. 2022;24(10):E980-985. doi:10.1001/amajethics.2022.980

Lichter KE, Baniel CC, Sood N, et al. Development of Climate Health and Oncology-Based Curricula: Understanding Climate Change’s Impact on Cancer Care and a Physicians’ Role. International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics. 2022;114(1):e20. doi:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.06.04

Lichter KE, Silva GS, Avelino S, et al. Advancing Global Equity in Cancer Care: Comparative Environmental Impacts of Radiotherapy in Brazil and the U.S. ASCO Annual Meeting; Chicago, IL, May 2025. 

Silva GS, Anand C, Walsh C, et al. Energy-Saving Interventions for MRI: Reducing Costs and Environmental Health Impacts. ACR Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, May 2025.  

Silva GS, McSween Z, Anand C, et al. Toward Improved Value in Cancer Care: Reducing Healthcare Costs and Environmental Impacts. ACPM Annual Conference, Seattle, WA, May 2025. 

Drew T, Conway A, Do I, et al. Impact of Extreme Climate Events on Puerto Rican Radiation Oncology Practices. UCSF La Comunidad Conference, San Francisco, CA, April 2025.

McSween Z, Silva GS, Anand C, et al. Improving Value in Radiation Therapy: An Analysis of Cost and Environmental Health Savings in Radiation Oncology. ARS Annual meeting, Seattle, WA, April 2025.

Lichter KE, Silva GS, Avelino S, Anand C, et al. Environmental Impacts of External Beam Radiation Therapy in Brazil: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment. ACRO Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, March 2025. 

Silva GS, Lichter KE, Badal K, van’t Veer L, Esserman LJ. Breast Cancer Screening: Achieving Cost and Environmental Savings (BrACE). UCSF EaRTH Conference, San Francisco, CA, February 2025. 

Lichter KE, Silva GS, Charbonneau K, Sabbagh A, Witztum A, Bloom J, Shenker R, Junzo C, Vidal G, Lewy J, Hearn J, Chuter R, Sarria G, Ramalho-Avelino S, Anand C, Thiel C, Mohamad O. The Environmental and Associated Human Health Impacts of Radiotherapy Delivery in the United States: Multi-Institutional Life Cycle Assessment & Simulation. UCSF EaRTH Conference, San Francisco, CA, February 2025.

Sabol RA, Walsh CJ, Densley S, Medhat Y, Krishna A, Baiyee C, Meltzer D, Boscardin J, Witztum W, Pitts N, Paulsson AK, Luh JY, Zalavari L, Yom SS, and Lichter KE. Radiotherapy Adherence and Wildfire Disruptions: A Multi-Institutional Study of Treatment Compliance in Northern California. APPAM 2024 Fall Research Conference, National Harbor, MD, November 2024.  

Silva GS, Lichter KE, Badal K, Veer L, Esserman LJ. Optimizing Cost and Environmental Impact in Breast Cancer Screening: A Dual-Benefit Approach. UCSF RISE UP for Breast Cancer Conference, San Francisco, CA, November 2024. 

Do I, Lichter KE, Battles J. Protecting Access to Cancer Treatment in Fire-Prone Areas: Evaluating Community Wildfire Protection Plans. Society of American Foresters Conference, Loveland, CO, September 2024. 

Sabol RA, Walsh CJ, Densley S, Krishna A, Baiyee C, Meltzer D, Boscardin J, Witztum A, Pitts N, Paulsson AK, Luh JY, Zalavari L, Yom SS, Lichter KE. Evaluating the Impact of Wildfires on Radiotherapy Compliance and Financial Costs: Insights from a Multi-Clinic Analysis. ASTRO Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, September 2024.

Asaro A, Charbonneau K, Anand C, Thiel C, Truong MT, Parekh A, Qureshi MM, Mohamad O, Lichter KE. Climate-Smart Oncology: Can Hypofractionation Lighten Radiotherapy's Environmental Load? ASTRO Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, CA, May 2024.

Lichter KE, Sabol R, Yom SS, Mohamad O, Witztum A. Impact of wildfires on radiotherapy adherence in patients with cancer: A multi-clinic study. ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, May 2024.

Smith A, Lichter KE, Phuong C, Liu J, Ni L, Shin J, Mohamad O, Braunstein S, Hsu I, Prionas N. Streamlining Brachytherapy OR Waste Management in 60 Seconds: The AI Solution. UCSF 2024 SOM Leadership Retreat, AI Convergence: Preparing for the Age of Artificial Intelligence, San Francisco, CA, February 2024.

Lichter KE, Decarbonizing Oncology: Navigating Emissions Reduction and Equitable Care. UCSF Graduate Medical Education Grand Rounds, November 2023.

Lichter KE The Ecologic Footprint of Brachy & Radiotherapy. The Groupe Européen de Curiethérapie (GEC) and the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) Workshop, Prague, November 2023.

Lichter K, Larson B, Mohamad O, Nogueira LM. Impact of declared wildfire disasters on survival of lung cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment. ASCO Quality Care Symposium 2023 *Featured Abstract, October 2023.

Charbonneau K, Lichter KE, Anand C, Mohamad O, Thiel C. The Environmental Impact of Radiation Oncology: the “footprint” of external beam radiation therapy. American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA) Annual Meeting, October 2023.

Lichter KE, Charbonneau K, Sabbagh A, Witztum A, Bloom J, Shenker R, Chino J, Vidal G, Lewy J, Hearn J,  Chuter R, Sarria G, Ramalho-Avelino S, Anand C, Thiel C, Mohamad O. Simulating the Environmental and Public Health Consequences of Radiotherapy Delivery in the United States using Multi-Institutional Life Cycle Assessments. ASTRO Annual Conference, October 2023.

Lichter KE. Environmentally Sustainable Brachytherapy Care. European Society Radiation Oncology (ESTRO) Climate Change Course, June 2023.

Lichter KE, Phuong C, Liu J, Ni L, Smith A, Shin J, Braunstein S, Hsu I, Prionas N, Mohamad O. Streamlining Brachytherapy OR Waste Management in 60 Seconds: The AI Solution. American Brachytherapy Society, June 2023.

Sabbagh A, Lichter KE, Demeulenaere S, Drew T, Conway A, Nogueira L, Kirkwood K, Hampshire K, Gundling K, Teherani A, Thottathil S Mohamad O Network Greener: Sustainability for Conferences Made Easy! Mount Sinai Climate Change Conference, June 2023.

Conway A, Lichter KE, Sabbagh A, Demeulenaere S, Drew T. Reducing the Environmental Impact of Healthcare Conferences: A Study of Emissions. Mount Sinai Climate Change Conference, June 2023.

Smith A, Lichter KE, Phuong C, Liu J, Ni L, Shin J, Mohamad O, Braunstein S, Hsu I, Prionas N. Streamlining Brachytherapy OR Waste Management in 60 Seconds: The AI Solution. UCSF 2024 SOM Leadership Retreat, AI Convergence: Preparing for the Age of Artificial Intelligence, San Francisco, CA, February 2024.

Lichter KE, Bloom J, Sheu R, Zalavari L, Leung K, Collins A, Witztum A, Chuter R. Addressing SF6 in Healthcare: An Essential Step Towards Achieving Net-Zero Healthcare Emissions. CleanMed, May 2023.

Smolen K. Lu J, Wiliams L, Randolph H, Raghuwanshi K, Lichter KE. The Reduction of Patient Transportation Emissions with the Utilization of Reduced-Carbon Rideshare Services. UCSF Health Improvement Symposium, May 2023.

Lichter, KE. Delivering Equitable Cancer Care in a Changing Climate. UCSF Radiation Oncology Annual Course, April 2023.

Lichter KE, Sabbagh, A. Medical Trainee Engangement in Sustainability, Environmental Health, and Decarbonization. UCSF Town Hall, April 2023.

Lichter KE. Decarbonizing the Healthcare Sector. Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health Annual Meeting. Washington DC, February, 2023.

Lichter KE, Maniar A, Husain M, Kishan R, Hantel A, Grover S. Are National Cancer Centers Prepared to Address Climate Change?
An Overview & Analysis of Organizations' Sustainability Plans. ASTRO, October 2022.

Lichter KE, Demeulenaere S, Drew T, Wong E, ​Grover S, Bagshaw H, Singer L, Mohamad O. ​The Environmental Impact of ASTRO's Digital XP 2021 Hybrid Conference Model.  ASTRO, October 2022.

Baniel C, KE Lichter. A Six Minute Waste Audit: A resident-led QI initiative to reduce medical waste. Norcal Symposium, September 2022.

KE Lichter, Baniel CC, Sood N, Hampshire K, Kuczmarski T, Fox J, Paulsson A, Braunstein SE. Development of Climate Health and Oncology-Based Curricula: Understanding Climate Change’s Impact on Cancer Care and a Physician’s Role. ROECSG, May 2022.

Lichter, KE. Wildfires and Climate Change: Effects on Lung Cancer. Multidisciplinary Thoracic Cancers Symposium. Scottsdale, AZ. December 4, 2021.