Radiation therapy is an important treatment option for cancer care. For decades, radiation therapy was mostly used as an adjuvant treatment after surgery and chemotherapy, or as a palliative treatment option in a metastatic setting. In many indications, radiation therapy is established as a radical treatment option.
In the last few years, with the widespread availability of high-precision radiation therapy (RT) facilities in many radiation therapy centers, and with the development of more precise radiation delivery techniques, new options have become available for shorter course radiation therapy or stereotactic radiosurgery (SBRT) in relatively uncommon indications, allowing for better individualization of treatment. Shorter course RT with SBRT not only preserves quality-of-life but also makes treatments more acceptable and affordable, arguably without compromising the outcome.
These new shorter, precise treatment approaches with SBRT in relatively uncommon tumors have opened vast opportunities to reduce treatment-related complications and increase treatment compliance. However, it is necessary to ensure awareness of such novel treatment approaches, as well as to document outcome data from prospective studies to substantiate the use of these unconventional treatment options. Most of these novel therapeutic experiences are from small high precision centers in different parts of the world, with relatively small patient cohorts; hence, these experiences are usually not recorded in the literature. However, if it is possible to collect these different approach experiences, prospective studies with proper study design, patient number and definitive outcome measurement parameters can more easily be initiated.
Rare or novel clinical settings where SBRT is used as an individualized approach need mention in literature. To this end, this Research Topic welcomes submissions reporting similar novel or unconventional short course stereotactic radiosurgery (SBRT) approaches, with or without other therapeutic approaches. Some examples are provided below:
1. Hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombosis treated with radiation therapy (SBRT) to the portal vein, followed by TACE or RFA for the primary tumor (few studies from few centers show the effectiveness of using radiation therapy to recanalize portal vein and then use TACE of RFA as radical treatment approach in this terminal stage (BCLC C) condition).
2. Vertebral hemangioma treated with stabilization followed by SBRT to the hemangioma as a radical treatment approach. In most situations, after stabilization patients are followed up and land up in progression that needs repeat surgery. SBRT may shrink/stabilize the hemangioma making radiation therapy as a part of radical intent treatment. There are only a few studies in this rare condition.
3. Localized orbital lymphomas treated with SBRT to preserve vision is also a rare but interesting option. Similarly, SBRT in brainstem cavernoma and cholangiocarcinoma are rare and challenging.
It is hoped that this Topic will promote the documentation of the approaches, potential and outcomes of these treatment options being used in different parts of the world to investigate and establish it as a treatment modality.
Radiation therapy is an important treatment option for cancer care. For decades, radiation therapy was mostly used as an adjuvant treatment after surgery and chemotherapy, or as a palliative treatment option in a metastatic setting. In many indications, radiation therapy is established as a radical treatment option.
In the last few years, with the widespread availability of high-precision radiation therapy (RT) facilities in many radiation therapy centers, and with the development of more precise radiation delivery techniques, new options have become available for shorter course radiation therapy or stereotactic radiosurgery (SBRT) in relatively uncommon indications, allowing for better individualization of treatment. Shorter course RT with SBRT not only preserves quality-of-life but also makes treatments more acceptable and affordable, arguably without compromising the outcome.
These new shorter, precise treatment approaches with SBRT in relatively uncommon tumors have opened vast opportunities to reduce treatment-related complications and increase treatment compliance. However, it is necessary to ensure awareness of such novel treatment approaches, as well as to document outcome data from prospective studies to substantiate the use of these unconventional treatment options. Most of these novel therapeutic experiences are from small high precision centers in different parts of the world, with relatively small patient cohorts; hence, these experiences are usually not recorded in the literature. However, if it is possible to collect these different approach experiences, prospective studies with proper study design, patient number and definitive outcome measurement parameters can more easily be initiated.
Rare or novel clinical settings where SBRT is used as an individualized approach need mention in literature. To this end, this Research Topic welcomes submissions reporting similar novel or unconventional short course stereotactic radiosurgery (SBRT) approaches, with or without other therapeutic approaches. Some examples are provided below:
1. Hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombosis treated with radiation therapy (SBRT) to the portal vein, followed by TACE or RFA for the primary tumor (few studies from few centers show the effectiveness of using radiation therapy to recanalize portal vein and then use TACE of RFA as radical treatment approach in this terminal stage (BCLC C) condition).
2. Vertebral hemangioma treated with stabilization followed by SBRT to the hemangioma as a radical treatment approach. In most situations, after stabilization patients are followed up and land up in progression that needs repeat surgery. SBRT may shrink/stabilize the hemangioma making radiation therapy as a part of radical intent treatment. There are only a few studies in this rare condition.
3. Localized orbital lymphomas treated with SBRT to preserve vision is also a rare but interesting option. Similarly, SBRT in brainstem cavernoma and cholangiocarcinoma are rare and challenging.
It is hoped that this Topic will promote the documentation of the approaches, potential and outcomes of these treatment options being used in different parts of the world to investigate and establish it as a treatment modality.