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Stereotactic body radiotherapy comes to strengthen the therapeutic arsenal against many types of cancer, of various stages, offering even better oncological results with less exposure of the patient to harmful radiation. Dr. G. Kritselis, Radiation Therapist – Oncologist at the Athens Medical Center, explains the advantages of stereotactic body radiotherapy:

-What is stereotactic body radiotherapy (Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy)?

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a non-invasive, bloodless treatment, applied to various areas of the body, with absolute precision to tumors measuring 1-3 cm. (max 5 cm.). The characteristic of stereotactic body radiotherapy is the administration of a single therapeutic dose of radiation or a few fractionated high doses of radiation precisely at the site of the tumor, improving cure rates, in a way that could not be achieved with classic radiotherapy regimens until now.

-How long does the whole process take?

SBRT is administered in 1-5 treatments over a period of up to two weeks. This is its advantage over conventional external radiotherapy in which the dose is administered daily over several weeks.

The duration of each SBRT session is 15-20 minutes, the patient leaves the hospital the same day, without feeling any pain and without having any side effects, continuing his daily activities.

-In which cases is it indicated?

In general, we can say that it is indicated for patients with localized tumors up to 6-7 cm or a small number of tumors in the rest of the body. SBRT is applied to lung cancer, pancreatic tumors, localized tumors in the liver, kidney cancer, tumors in the abdominal area and sarcomas. It can also be administered to patients with a small number of metastases (oligometastatic disease), e.g. pulmonary metastases, lymph nodes, bone metastases in the spine, liver, kidney.

Most importantly, according to the guidelines (NCCN), it is now applied as a radical treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, small-sized lung cancer that cannot be operated on, hepatocellular cancer and breast cancer.

It is worth emphasizing that stereotactic body radiotherapy is the best treatment option for patients who – e.g. due to comorbidities or age – cannot undergo surgery.

-How does it differ from classical radiotherapy?

In SBRT, the Radiotherapist administers a higher radiobiological dose of radiation that is lethal to the cancerous tissues, causing damage to the vessels that supply the tumor, creating intense hypoxia, consequently causing death-apoptosis of the cancerous cells.

Stereotactic body radiotherapy has shown spectacularly better results compared to conventional radiotherapy and its results are comparable to those of surgical excisions.

-How safe is it as a treatment?

Patients experience much fewer side effects, which vary depending on the system receiving radiation.

-What does stereotactic body radiotherapy require?

The most important factor is the accuracy and focus of the dose delivery. The administration of body radiotherapy requires precise targeting of the tumor at the time of irradiation, using appropriate immobilization systems, so that the surrounding healthy tissues are not irradiated.

An additional weapon for the precise mapping of the tumor are high-precision imaging tests such as PET/CT, CT, MRI, and other innovative imaging platforms, which provide 4-dimensional imaging.

A highly technologically advanced radiation delivery system is also required in a specialized center and, above all, clinical experience and specialization of the Radiation Oncologist are required, conditions that are met only in specialized centers.

Therefore, it is important to choose a center with a holistic approach to the treatment of cancer cases. The Athens Medical Center is staffed with specialized scientists and has the infrastructure and medical equipment necessary for the diagnosis and effective treatment of every type of cancer.