The role of radiation therapy and particle therapy in renal cell carcinoma: current evidence and future perspectives

Abstract

For both primary and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), treatment with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has found its way into clinical practice. Being a non-invasive outpatient procedure, SBRT requires only a few visits to the radiation department and may be of interest for the elderly or, in the case of primary RCC, for patients who are not considered surgical candidates due to technical limitations, medical comorbidities, or in the event that the maintenance of kidney function is compromised. In the treatment landscape of oligometastatic RCC, SBRT shows promise in eradicating metastatic disease and delaying the initiation of systemic treatment. Technical advancements in the planning and administration of radiation treatment and improvements in movement management allow irradiating the tumor and/or metastatic lesions with very high doses in few fractions while maximally sparing the surrounding organs at risk, thus minimizing toxicity. In that context, the increasing availability of particle therapy, such as proton beam radiotherapy or carbon ion radiotherapy, could further optimize the delivery of radiation treatment in order to reduce toxicity and improve outcome.

Keywords

Particle therapy / proton therapy / carbon ion radiation therapy

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