SBRT May Be a Viable Option for Patients With Liver Cancer

CURE recently spoke with Dr. Laura Dawson, a professor and chair of the department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto, and a practicing radiation oncologist in the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network in Toronto. She discussed radiation therapy as a possible option for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Specifically, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) before Nexavar (sorafenib) improved overall survival (OS) in patients with locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, as shown in a JAMA Oncology study.

READ MORE HERE: Stereotactic Body Radiation May Improve Survival in Liver Cancer Subset

SBRT, Dawson explained, involves the use of external beam radiation to deliver targeted radiation in controlled doses. This approach enables patients to undergo radiation treatment in fewer fractions, resulting in reduced treatment duration compared with conventional methods.

Transcript:

Seeing a radiation oncologist is important for most patients who have liver cancer. It doesn't mean radiation therapy would be offered, but it may be, and it's good to have multiple options and more people who can be a part of the circle of care for patients. I think that's the main advice for patients — ask to see a radiation oncologist — and hopefully [they will in turn] benefit from radiation.

[If I had to make a] comment about the study and the technical aspect of radiation is that [it is] challenging to give SBRT; however, the tools are available. They are available with imaging and computers to deliver [SBRT] very safely.

Additionally, the doses that are used to control liver cancers are lower than what are needed for some other kinds of cancer. HCC, the most common type of liver cancer, is relatively sensitive to radiation. It is good news that even large tumors where there needs to be some personalization or lowering of the dose of radiation, can be very effective for patients. Hopefully in the future, there'll be more trials and more access to radiation for many more patients around the world.

Transcript was edited for clarity and conciseness.

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