Stereotactic body radiation therapy for early-stage lung cancer

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, is a technique of external beam radiation that delivers precisely targeted, ablative doses to extracranial sites. It has become an integral component of the management of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this review, we discuss the technology and techniques used in treatment planning and delivery, the efficacy and toxicity of SBRT for medically inoperable early-stage NSCLC, and the preliminary investigations into the role of SBRT for operable early-stage NSCLC.