Even in the Age of Targeted and Immunotherapy, Precision Radiotherapy Remains a Key Advantage
With the advent of the precision medicine era, radiotherapy for cancer has shifted toward a goal of “high precision.” This new approach breaks through the limitations of traditional radiation therapy models by maximizing tumor destruction while minimizing damage to surrounding normal tissues and cells.
Among these advancements, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) has emerged as one of the representative technologies of “precision radiotherapy.”
Today, let’s take you inside Jiahui International Cancer Center to learn about SBRT, and explore how the Radiation Oncology Department ensures safe, precise, and effective treatment journeys for cancer patients through cutting-edge technologies.
As early as 2012, the NCCN Guidelines recommended SBRT as the first-line treatment for inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
According to the Chinese Expert Consensus on Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Early-Stage NSCLC (2019), SBRT achieves a local control rate exceeding 90% in patients with inoperable early-stage NSCLC, showing therapeutic efficacy equivalent to surgery.
The 2020 CSCO Guidelines also include SBRT (alone or combined with TACE) as a Grade II expert recommendation for patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma who are unsuitable or unwilling to undergo surgery.
Beyond lung and liver cancers, SBRT’s indications are broad—it can be applied to both primary and metastatic tumors throughout the body, including the brain, lungs, upper abdomen (liver, bile duct, lymph nodes), and pelvic regions. SBRT can relieve symptoms and potentially offer more treatment opportunities for patients.
A 2021 study published in The Lancet Oncology reported that between September 2015 and January 2017, an American research team enrolled 80 patients with operable, early-stage NSCLC (T1–2a < 3 cm, N0M0) who received SBRT (also known as SABR). The median follow-up period was 5.1 years. For comparison, 352 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection (VATS-MLND) were included, and 80 were selected by propensity score matching. The results showed that both SBRT and VATS had a 3-year overall survival rate of 91%, and 5-year survival rates of 87% and 84%, respectively. The 5-year lung cancer–specific survival rates were 92% and 93%, indicating no significant clinical difference between surgery and SBRT.[1]
Another 2021 study, “Metastasis-directed Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Oligometastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Extent of Tumor Burden Eradicated by Radiotherapy,” explored the efficacy of complete SBRT in patients with oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma. The study included 101 patients who had undergone primary tumor resection and classified them into complete SBRT (all lesions treated) and incomplete SBRT (partial lesion treatment) groups. Results demonstrated that complete SBRT significantly improved progression-free survival and cancer-specific survival in patients with oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma.[2]
Compared with conventional radiotherapy, SBRT—a form of hypofractionated high-dose treatment—has several key technical features:
• “Fewer sessions, shorter course, higher dose”: SBRT delivers high-dose radiation to the tumor in one or a few short sessions while minimizing exposure to surrounding normal tissue.
• Shorter treatment time: Typically completed within a week or less, SBRT significantly reduces treatment duration and hospitalization costs compared to the traditional six-week course.
• Higher precision: SBRT provides excellent local tumor control, minimizes side effects, and improves patients’ quality of life and prognosis—often achieving outcomes comparable or superior to conventional radiotherapy.
While its advantages are evident, successfully performing SBRT in clinical practice requires advanced equipment, integrated technologies, and a highly specialized multidisciplinary team. Let’s look at how Jiahui International Cancer Center achieves this.
To ensure high-quality radiotherapy, Jiahui International Cancer Center integrates CBCT (Cone Beam CT) and SGRT (Surface-Guided Radiation Therapy) within its IGRT (Image-Guided Radiation Therapy) system. This allows for real-time monitoring and adaptive adjustments during each session based on changes in organ position, ensuring precise and consistent radiation delivery for every patient.
At Jiahui, SBRT treatments are performed by a comprehensive radiation oncology team led by Prof. Volker Rudat, including radiation oncologists, medical physicists, therapists, and nurses. The team collaboratively handles all stages—from target contouring, treatment planning, and plan verification to simulation, delivery, and patient education—ensuring technical precision while providing compassionate care and psychological support.
In terms of Quality Assurance (QA), Jiahui adheres to the same standards and protocols as its international partner, the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the United States. Medical physicists and radiation therapists conduct daily, weekly, monthly, and annual equipment checks and verify every treatment plan to ensure the highest standards of safety and precision.
At Jiahui International Cancer Center, every cancer case is discussed through multidisciplinary consultations to develop personalized treatment strategies. To minimize patient waiting time, those with radiotherapy indications can undergo simulation within one working day after consultation and begin treatment within three working days. Dedicated case managers provide end-to-end support, coordinating internal and external medical resources to help patients complete treatment comfortably in a private and elegant environment. We hope that every radiotherapy patient can achieve excellent outcomes and long-term quality of life, returning to a healthy and fulfilling life after scientific and effective treatment.
*For more information or inquiries about SBRT or Radiotherapy, please contact Jiahui International Cancer Center Radiation Oncology Department: 021-5339 3128 / 400 868 3000
References
[1] Joe Y. Chang, et al. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for operable stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (revised STARS): long-term results of a single-arm, prospective trial with prespecified comparison to surgery. Lancet Oncology, 2021.
[2] Yang L, Wen L, Zhiling Z, et al. Metastasis-directed stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma: extent of tumor burden eradicated by radiotherapy. World Journal of Urology, 2021; 39(11): 4183–4190. DOI: 10.1007/s00345-021-03742-1
