Practical Considerations in the Radiotherapy Treatment Planning for SBRT Pancreas Program

Abstract

Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the eleventh most common cancer in the world and is the seventh leading cause of global cancer deaths. The exact cause of PC is not well defined. About 5–10% of patients are associated with hereditary pancreatic cancer syndrome. The most common histological type is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and about 70% of PC arise in the head of pancreas. The stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) program for pancreatic cancer is a relatively novel treatment approach typically offered for patients with non-metastatic pancreatic cancer who are unresectable even after completion of systemic therapy. Multiple single institutional studies have reported that SBRT is a promising treatment option to achieve local control with limited acute toxicities. Currently, the phase III NRG-GI011 trial is evaluating whether SBRT improves survival for locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic cancer.