From the Guidelines
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is a highly precise radiation treatment technique that delivers high doses of radiation to small, well-defined tumors in the body while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissues, typically involving 1-5 high-dose radiation treatments over 1-2 weeks. This approach is commonly used for early-stage lung cancer, liver tumors, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and metastatic tumors in various locations, as noted in the study by 1. SBRT requires sophisticated imaging technology to precisely locate tumors, specialized planning software to calculate optimal radiation delivery, and advanced delivery systems that can account for patient and organ movement during treatment.
Key Characteristics of SBRT
- Delivers high doses of radiation to small, well-defined tumors
- Typically involves 1-5 high-dose radiation treatments over 1-2 weeks
- Minimizes exposure to surrounding healthy tissues
- Commonly used for early-stage lung cancer, liver tumors, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and metastatic tumors
- Requires sophisticated imaging technology and specialized planning software The biological advantage of SBRT comes from delivering higher doses per fraction, which can overcome radiation resistance in some tumors and trigger different cell death mechanisms than conventional radiation, as discussed in the study by 1. Patients undergoing SBRT may experience fewer side effects than with conventional radiation due to the reduced exposure of healthy tissues, though specific side effects depend on the treatment area.
Comparison with Conventional Radiation Therapy
- SBRT delivers higher doses per fraction
- SBRT typically involves fewer treatment sessions
- SBRT may result in fewer side effects due to reduced exposure of healthy tissues According to the study by 1, SBRT has been used primarily in the management of early-stage lung cancers in patients who could not tolerate surgical resection of any type. The study by 1 also notes that local control rates with SBRT have tended to be less effective for larger tumors. However, the most recent and highest quality study, 1, provides the most up-to-date information on SBRT, highlighting its effectiveness and advantages in treating various types of cancer.
From the Research
Definition of SBRT
- Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a novel radiation technique that allows a high dose of radiation to be delivered to a tumor with relatively low dose to the surrounding normal tissue 2.
- SBRT involves the delivery of a small number of ultra-high doses of radiation to a target volume using very advanced technology 3.
- It has emerged as a new technology in radiotherapy delivery, allowing for potentially curative treatment in many patients previously felt not to be candidates for radical surgical resection of stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) 4.
Applications of SBRT
- SBRT is the treatment of choice for medically inoperable patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) 5.
- It has been used in the treatment of early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, renal-cell carcinoma, and liver cancer, and in the treatment of oligometastases in the lung, liver, and spine 3.
- SBRT delivers curative-intent radiation to patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer and inoperable thoracic lesions 6.
Efficacy and Safety of SBRT
- Local control of approximately 90% at 2 to 5 years has been demonstrated in multiple trials 2.
- Three-years overall survival ranged from 43% to 95% with loco-regional control of up to 98% at 3 years 5.
- SBRT was generally well tolerated with 10%-30% grade 3-4 toxicities and a few treatment-related deaths 5.
- Ongoing technological advances enable highly targeted ablative radiation therapy while sparing adjacent sensitive organs at risk 6.