Stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver tumours: A review of the literature and recommendations

Abstract

Stereotactic body radiation therapy is a modern approach for delivering ablative high doses of irradiation in small volumes. This technique is being developed for the treatment of liver tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, or liver metastases. It represents a real alternative to surgical resection or liver transplantation when patients are inoperable or when tumours are unresectable. It is mandatory to standardize and simplify the current methods of evaluation and monitoring in order to benefit from a better understanding of the effectiveness and of the tolerance of this new treatment modality. Several scientific societies have recently proposed recommendations for the implementation of stereotactic radiotherapy for liver tumors. We conducted a literature review to provide recommendations for follow-up after completion of a stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver tumours.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26341312