According to recent research from a phase III randomized international study by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, patients with operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may achieve better overall survival rates with stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR), also known as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), compared to the current standard of invasive surgery. These groundbreaking findings, published in The Lancet Oncology, are the result of the first randomized clinical trials comparing SABR and surgery.
This study’s results are particularly timely and significant as lung cancer remains the leading cancer killer among both men and women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Cancer Society reports that over half of individuals diagnosed with lung cancer die within one year, and the National Cancer Institute estimates that 127,070 Americans are expected to die from the disease in 2024.
For decades, the standard treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer has been surgery, which can be challenging for patients with poor lung function, such as those with emphysema or pulmonary hypertension. SABR provides a viable treatment alternative for patients who are not suitable candidates for surgery due to tumor size, location, or concurrent heart disease.
At San Francisco CyberKnife, lung cancer patients are treated with SABR using the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System. This system offers a painless, non-invasive, outpatient treatment with minimal side effects. During the CyberKnife treatment, hundreds of highly concentrated and precise beams of radiation are targeted directly at tumors and lesions in the lung. The CyberKnife robotic arm moves in sync with the patient’s breathing, allowing minimal radiation exposure to healthy tissue while effectively eradicating the tumor.
For more information about treating lung cancer with the CyberKnife system please contact us.