A Safer Radiation Option for Small Tumors in the Abdomen and Pelvis

Radiation therapy is an important treatment for cancer that has spread to a few spots, called oligometastatic disease. But when these tumors are located below the diaphragm, near organs like the stomach or intestines, standard radiation can be risky. The reason is that radiation can harm healthy tissues close to the tumor.

A new study looked at a treatment called stereotactic magnetic resonance guided adaptive radiation therapy (SMART). This advanced method uses MRI during treatment, which helps doctors see the tumor more clearly and adjust the radiation plan in real time. By doing this, they can safely deliver strong doses of radiation while protecting nearby organs.

The study included 138 patients with cancers that had spread to the abdomen or pelvis. Many had colon or rectal cancer. Most tumors were very close to sensitive organs, so doctors used the adaptive feature of SMART in over three-quarters of the treatments.

The results were promising. One year after treatment, more than one-third of patients had no further cancer growth. The treatment was especially effective for patients with only a few metastases compared to those with cancer that was starting to progress again. Importantly, serious side effects were very rare, with no severe early complications and only 2% experiencing significant late effects.

For patients, this means SMART offers a safer and more precise option for treating small tumors in difficult locations. It may help control cancer while reducing the risks of damaging nearby healthy organs.