Stereotactic Body Radiation Slows Lung Cancer

NEW YORK, May 21, 2009 — Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) appears to be highly effective for treating certain patients with non–small-cell lung cancer, providing a 3-year local tumor control rate of 90% or higher with minor toxicity, Scandinavian researchers reported in a May 4 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

"SBRT, developed at (our) hospital," lead investigator Dr Pia Baumann told Reuters Health, has been shown to be "very efficient in eradicating the tumor with only limited side effects in patients with medically inoperable stage I non–small-cell lung cancer."

Dr Baumann of Karolinska University Hospital Solna in Stockholm, et al conducted a phase II trial that included 40 patients with stage I tumors and 17 with stage II tumors who underwent SBRT every second day for a median of 5 days of treatment.

At 1 year, overall survival was 88% and cancer-specific survival was 93%. At 3 years, progression-free survival was 52%, overall survival was 60%, and cancer-specific survival was 88%. There was no significant survival difference between patients with T1 and T2 tumors.

At a median follow-up of 35 months, 7 patients had died from lung cancer and 20 from concurrent disease. Estimated local control at 3 years was 92%. The estimated risk of failure due to local, regional, or distant metastases was significantly greater in patients with T2 tumors than in those with T1 tumors (41% vs 18%).

The researchers suggested that based on these findings, SBRT "may even challenge surgery in operable instances."

"Several clinical trials in other countries are now underway to confirm these data," Dr Baumann added. "SBRT is also useful for treating metastatic tumors in diverse organs."

Source: Reuters Health Information