Abstract:
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is considered to be resistant to radiotherapy; consequently, surgery is still the standard treatment for local RCC. However, patients who can not undergo surgery due to advanced age or medical complications can be treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). SBRT has been shown to improve the local control (LC) rate in patients with RCC. In combination with image-guided radiation therapy, SBRT can be applied to the precise target area, thereby causing little damage to the surrounding normal tissues. Additionally, SBRT has the advantages of a high LC rate and low toxicity and can prolong the survival of patients ineligible for surgery. Consequently, the LC rate, adverse reactions, and survival of patients with RCC undergoing SBRT vary depending on the machine and radiation dose. Here, we will review the progress of research on SBRT for the treatment of patients with primary and metastatic RCC.