Promising preliminary outcomes from stereotactic radiotherapy for kidney cancer
8.5.2024 Categories: Articles
At the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) meeting at the end of 2023, promising results were presented from a phase 2 FASTRACK II trial of stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR) in the treatment of localised kidney cancer.
– When I heard about the research results at the meeting, I immediately thought that this would offer a possible new form of treatment for patients with localised kidney cancer for whom surgery is not possible for one reason or another, says Associate Professor Leila Vaalavirta from Docrates Cancer Center.
The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR) in patients with localised kidney cancer for whom surgery was not possible for medical or other reasons. The aim was to evaluate both the efficacy and safety of the treatment. The study was comprised of 70 patients for whom surgery was not a viable treatment option. The average age of the patients was 77 years. Depending on the size of the tumor, the patients underwent either one or three sessions of stereotactic radiotherapy. According to the study, localised cancer progression was not found in any of the SABR research patients after one year of radiotherapy, and any adverse reactions were minor and generally mild. Based on the study, stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR) appears to be a promising treatment option for localised kidney cancer.
The study was published in The Lancet Oncology, a prestigious journal covering cancer research, in March 2024. Immediately after the publication of the study, Docrates became one of the first service providers in Finland to perform stereotactic radiotherapy on a patient with localised kidney cancer. The patient’s health status and other underlying diseases prevented cancer surgery. The patient contacted Docrates which had been their previous service provider in the treatment of prostate cancer.
– We were able to immediately make use of the latest research results as the patient’s clinical picture and situation enabled them to be treated with the radiotherapy methods implemented in the study. The patient has now received a full course of radiotherapy without experiencing any immediate side effects, and the current plan is to have a follow-up appointment once every three months. We at Docrates are pleased to be able to immediately use the latest research results and, therefore, offer more and more patients individualised and effective treatment without delay, says Vaalavirta.
Docrates Cancer Center uses the latest international research data in the individual treatment of patients with cancer. Docrates has the opportunity to introduce new diagnostic methods and treatments without delay that are not yet routinely used or in use elsewhere. The Cancer Center employs a number of specialists in cancer treatment and diagnostics with extensive experience and knowledge of cancer.
