The role of radiation in curing early-stage lung cancers has expanded significantly over the last decade. Technological and radiological advances in radiation oncology have forged the development of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), also known as stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR).
SBRT delivers exceptionally high doses of radiation therapy to a malignant mass in one to five treatments. Thus, it represents the opposite of how inoperable lung cancers were formerly treated with lower doses of radiation delivered daily over five to seven weeks. Now, however, it has been shown that administering higher doses of radiation per treatment with SBRT significantly improves the local control of many cancers (80 to 95 percent of SBRT patients showed halted cancer growth, compared with 40 to 70 percent of those receiving lower radiation doses over a longer period of time).
The success of SBRT rests in its precision. Cancer cells are accurately targeted, while the dose of radiation that contacts healthy tissues is minimal. This can be achieved because of a rapid radiation dose falloff gradient near the targeted tumor. A radiation oncologist meticulously delineates the target from the surrounding tissues to effectively and safely deliver radiation treatment. They can target cancer more precisely due to a 4 dimensional video combined with a CT scan that tracks the tumor’s motion as the patient breathes.
At Astera, a radiation technology called TomoTherapy® HI-ART® (highly integrated adaptive radiotherapy) allows oncologists to identify the cancerous mass in real-time before the treatment while the patient is in the treatment room. This level of precision further improves the accuracy of SBRT and decreases the potential risks of side effects.
SBRT has become a standard curative treatment option for medically inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. For patients ineligible for lobectomy, SBRT has been shown to decrease the risk for local and regional recurrence compared to wedge resection. The treatment is also being investigated through large randomized trials in medically operable patients who do not desire surgery. Additionally, numerous studies presently examine the efficacy and tolerance of SBRT in surgical and non-surgical patients.
published: Jan. 27, 2023, 6:20 p.m.