Stereotactic body radiotherapy for oligo-recurrence within the nodal area from colorectal cancer

Recurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC) often presents as solitary metastases, oligometastases or oligo-recurrence. Surgical resection became the preferred treatment for patients with CRC lung and hepatic metastases. However, surgical treatment for oligo-recurrence within nodal area is not a widely accepted treatment due to due to their relative rarity and high postoperative morbidity. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is one of the emerging radiation treatment techniques in which a high radiation dose can be delivered to the tumor. High-dose SBRT can ablate the tumor with an efficacy similar to that achieved with surgery, especially for small tumors. However, there have been very few studies on SBRT for oligo-recurrence within nodal area, although several studies have evaluated the role of SBRT in the treatment of liver and lung metastases from CRC. This article reviews the current clinical status of and treatment methods for oligo-recurrence within nodal area from CRC, with particular emphasis on SBRT.