Stereotactic body radiation therapy for treatment of primary and metastatic pulmonary malignancies.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has become the preferred treatment approach for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer who are medically inoperable or refuse surgery. SBRT consists of 3 to 5 radiation treatments delivered over a 10- to 14-day period. Local control is achieved in approximately 90% of patients, and the risk of toxicity is relatively low. Ongoing studies are examining whether SBRT can replace surgery for certain patients, the optimal dose-fractionation scheme, and how best to treat patients having central tumors near the primary tracheobronchial tree.