Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, known as SABR or SBRT, is a form of radiation treatment that focuses very precise, very intense doses of high-energy beams onto cancer cells. This kills the cancer while reducing the potential damage to healthy tissue surrounding it.
Only patients with small, early-stage lung cancer are good candidates for SBRT. Ahead of the treatment, a scan determines the three-dimensional location of your tumor. The treatment is then delivered through devices called linear accelerators, which form the high-energy beams.
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The advantage of getting SBRT instead of traditional radiation therapy is that it has fewer side effects and better outcomes, says Dr. Billy Loo, an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Loo says the most common side effects are tiredness and fatigue, although these don’t affect the majority of patients. SBRT can also be done in five or fewer sessions, whereas traditional radiation therapy can take weeks.
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